WOMAN    IN    PRISON. 


BY 


CAROLINE   H.   WOODS. 


NEW   YORK: 
PUBLISHED  BY  KURD  AND  HOUGHTON. 


1869. 


Y/T 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 

CAROLINE  II.  WOODS, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


RIVERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE: 

STEREOTYPED  AND  PRINTED  Bt 

H.  0.  H00GHTON  AND  COMPANY. 


we 


WHY   WRITTEN. 


I  WAS  reading  an  evening  paper.  I  glanced  over 
the  advertisements.  One  attracted  my  attention,  and 
held  it  so  strongly  that  I  read  it  over  and  over,  again 
and  again.  There  was  nothing  unusual  in  it  to  or 
dinary  observation.  It  read,  "  Wanted.  —  At  the 
Penitentiary,  a  Matron.  Inquire  at  the  Institution." 

I  turned  the  paper  over  to  read  the  general  news; 
but  could  not  place  my  thoughts  so  as  to  compre 
hend  the  meaning  of  the  words  before  my  sight. 
Without  the  intention  to  do  so,  I  looked  again  at  the 
advertisement.  It  became  a  study  to  me. 

Said  Thought  —  If  you  were  to  answer  that  ad 
vertisement,  and  obtain  the  situation,  it  would  place 
you  upon  missionary  ground,  and  at  the  same  time 
give  you  employment  which  would  afford  you  a  sup 
port  while  you  are  teaching  the  ignorant.  You 
would  get  knowledge  in  the  position.  A  new  phase 


iv  WHY  wan  TEN. 

of  life  would  be  opened  to  your  view.  You  would 
have  an  opportunity  to  observe,  practically,  how 
well  the  present  system  of  prison  discipline  is 
adapted  to  reform  convicts,  and  repress  crime.  But 
the  cost  is  too  much.  I  cannot  become  a  Matron  in 
a  Penitentiary. 

I  laid  the  paper  down,  without  reading  it,  because 
I  could  see  nothing  in  it  except  that  advertisement. 

The  next  day  I  went  in  town,  sat  down  in  the 
office  of  a  friend,  and  took  up  a  morning  paper.  No 
sooner  had  I  opened  it  than  that  advertisement 
spread  itself  out  before  me.  It  changed  the  form 
of  its  appeal ;  left  out  what  my  selfishness  might 
gain,  to  enlist  my  compassion  and  aid,  entirely,  in 
what  I  might  accomplish  for  others.  It  called  to 
me,  in  piteous  tones,  to  go  work  for  the  prisoner. 
It  was  the  echo  of  a  voice  that  I  long  ago  heard, 
Come  into  our  prisons,  and  help  us,  we  beseech 
you! 

I  cannot !  I  have  other  things  to  do,  and  they 
are  as  much  for  the  benefit  of  humanity  as  anything 
I  may  be  able  to  accomplish  for  you.  My  spirit 
darkened  as  I  made  the  answer;  a  cloud  of  guilt 
settled  down  upon  it.  I  threw  down  the  paper  in 
order  to  dissipate  it,  and  to  avoid  the  plea. 


WHY   WRITTEN.  V 

I  turned  and  talked  with  my  friend ;  but  ray 
thoughts  were  not  in  what  we  were  saying.  That 
advertisement  followed  them,  and  filled  them  to  the 
exclusion  of  every  other  subject. 

In  the  abstraction  which  it  caused  the  hour  in 
which  I  was  to  leave  the  city  passed,  and  I  missed 
my  train.  I  must  remain  and  avail  myself  of  an 
other. 

While  I  was  waiting,  that  advertisement  returned 
to  my  reflections,  and  urged  its  cause  imperatively 
as  a  command.  It  was  a  call,  to  me,  resistless  as 
the  voice  that  awoke  the  young  Israelitish  Prophet 
from  his  slumbers.  In  another  moment  the  struggle 
with  my  pride  was  over,  and  my  spirit  answered,  — 
I  will  go,  even  to  lust-besotted  Sodom  if  thou  lead- 
est,  Light  of  my  path ! 

I  seated  myself  in  a  street  car,  went  to  the  prison, 
applied  for  the  place,  and  obtained  it. 

Day  by  day  I  wrote  down  what  I  saw  and  heard, 
what  I  said  and  did.  Why  ?  In  obedience  to  the 
same  Voice  that  called  me  to  the  work. 

The  tale  is  before  you. 

May  it  touch  the  heart  of  every  one  who  reads  the 
story,  and  melt  it  into  a  compassion  which  will  labor 
for  the  redemption  of  the  prisoner ;  into  a  pity  which 


WHY    WRITTEN. 


will  echo  around  the  cry  —  Open  the  prison  doors, 
not  to  let  the  prisoner  go  free,  but  to  let  in,  to  him, 
the  light  of  moral  knowledge,  and  the  discipline  of 
Christian  charity. 


CONTENTS. 


PAQK 

WHY  WRITTEN Jij 

I.  FIRST  DAY  IN  PRISON 1 

II.  AT  NIGHT 13 

III.  SECOND  DAY  IN  PRISON 23 

IV.  A  QUARREL,  AND    DISCIPLINE           ....  34 
V.  THE  SUPERVISOR,  AND  THE  RULES    ....  48 

VI.  FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON       ....  58 

VII.  THE  MASTER  AND  THE  RULES 75 

VIII.  MRS.  HARDBACK 79 

IX.  A  BREAD-AND-WATER  BOARDER  ....  87 

X.  AN  ARRIVAL 93 

XI.  INSIDE  MANAGEMENT 98 

XII.  SUNDAY 102 

XIII.  LIFE   AMONG   THE   LOWLY HO 

XIV.  INSPECTION  OF  PRIVATE  APARTMENTS            .           .  127 
XV.  A  DAY  OF  ODDS  AND  ENDS 138 

XVI.  A  FRIGHT 151 

XVII.  VISITING  DAY 156 

XVIII.  CALLAHAN  AGAIN 163 

XIX.  DISCOMFORTS,  AND  THE  END.              ....  178 


FIRST    DAY   IN   PRISON. 

IT  was  Saturday  morning  that  I  became  an  in 
mate  of  the  Penitentiary. 

I  was  conducted  to  the  kkchen,  where  I  was  to 
oversee  the  cooking  for  the  prisoners,  and  to  the 
prison  adjoining  it,  which  I  was  to  see  kept  in  order, 
by  the  Deputy  Master  of  the  institution,  who  gave 
me  my  keys  and  installed  me  in  my  office  of  Prison 
Matron. 

When  we  first  went  in  he  called  the  six  women 
who  do  the  work  in  the  kitchen,  and  the  three 
"sweeps"  who  keep  the  prison  clean,  to  him,  and 
presented  their  new  mistress,  in  my  person,  to  them. 

They  were  convicts  that  surrounded  me  at  his 
call ;  but  they  were  human  beings.  Human  faces 
looked  up  to  mine  for  sympathy  and  care.  Some  of 
them  were  fine  looking,  even  in  their  coarse  uniform, 
some  were  pretty  as  I  picked  them  out  one  by  one. 
They  all  looked  at  me  earnestly,  for  a  few  moments, 
as  though  they  were  reading  their  sentence  of  harsh 
ness  or  kindly  treatment,  under  my  rule,  in  my  face  ; 
then,  turned  away  to  their  work  again. 

They  whispered  as  they  stood  together,  and  I  saw 
by  their  furtive  glances  that  they  were  watching,  and 
1 


2  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

discussing  me,  as  I  walked  around  to  take  a  survey 
of  my  new  field  of  labor.  They  were  undoubtedly 
commenting  upon  my  personal  appearance ;  and 
making  their  predictions  as  to  my  sharpness  in  de 
tecting  their  impositions,  and  ability  to  control  their 
perverseness  ;  or,  I  imagined  so. 

The  Deputy  showed  me  the  mush  boiler,  that 
would  cook  two  large  tubs  full  of  that  farinaceous 
edible  at  a  time ;  the  potato  steamer,  that  would 
hold  four  barrels  of  that  esculent  vegetable  at 
a  cooking ;  the  soup  and  coffee  kettles,  of  still 
larger  dimensions ;  and  that  comprised  all  of  the  ap 
paratus  required  in  preparing  the  mammoth  meals 
which  were  to  serve  above  four  hundred  people. 
These  cooking  utensils  were  kept  in  operation  by 
pipes  conducting  steam  to  them  from  a  boiler  sta 
tioned  in  the  middle  of  the  room. 

When  he  put  the  steam  boiler  under  my  direc 
tion  I  shrank  back  in  terror  from  the  task  of  man 
aging  it.  The  huge  culinary  apparatus,  which  he 
had  been  exhibiting,  although  outside  the  pale  of 
ordinary  housekeeping,  was  still  within  the  reach  of 
my  understanding  ;  but  I  had  no  idea  of  the  man 
agement  of  steam ;  it  was  not  only  a  difficult,  but 
dangerous  affair. 

"  The  house  will  surely  be  blown  up  if  you  leave 
the  care  of  that  upon  me,"  I  said  to  him. 

"  You  must  watch  it  very  closely." 

"  I  don't  know  how,  and  I  have  no  aptness  for 
learning  that  kind  of  science." 


FIRST  DAY  IN  PRISON.  3 

"  One  of  the  women  will  tend  it."  And  he  went 
on  with  explanations  that  were  all  Greek  to  me. 
"  It  is  safe  when  you  have  on  twenty  pounds  of 
steam.  There  is  your  gauge,"  and  he  pointed  to  a 
clock-like  looking  affair  on  the  wall.  "  That  hand 
will  move  round  and  tell  you  how  much  steam  you 
have  on.  You  must  keep  water  enough  in  the 
boiler  or  you  will  get  blown  up.  If  it  runs  from  that 
centre  stopcock,  on  the  side,  it  is  safe.  You  notice 
that  glass  tube  in  front.  The  water  is  just  as  high 
in  that  as  it  is  in  the  boiler.  This  faucet  is  to  let  the 
water  off  if  you  get  the  boiler  too  full.  Turn  that 
faucet  when  you  let  the  water  on,"  and  he  went  along 
and  pointed  to  one  in  a  pipe  by  the  wall,  "  and  that 
pump  is  there  in  case  of  accident.  You  must  have 
it  worked  every  day  so  as  to  keep  it  in  order." 

All  knowledge  is  useful,  I  thought,  and  in  time  I 
shall  understand  running  a  steam-engine.  As  the 

O  O 

women  have  been  trusted  with  the  dangerous  thing, 
they  may  still  continue  to  be,  till  I  have  leisure  to 
learn  the  science  of  steam  as  applied  to  cooking. 

After  I  had  taken  a  survey  of  the  kitchen  the 
Deputy  took  me  into  the  women's  prison  which  led 
out  of  it. 

The  centre  of  the  hollow  square,  in  which  the  dor 
mitories  are  built,  looked  like  a  huge  block  of  glit 
tering  ice,  so  white  were  the  washed  walls  of  brick 
and  stone.  The  black,  grated  doors  of  the  cells,  in 
serted  into  them,  like  the  teeth  of  grinning-  demons, 
were  ranged  along  the  sides  about  two  feet  apart, 
tier  after  tier,  five  stories,  one  above  another. 


4  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

The  Deputy  led  me  along  past  the  iron  doors.  I 
trembled  and  shrank  back;  but  I  had  no  idea  of 
receding  from  my  undertaking.  I  "  screwed  my 
courage  to  the  sticking-point,"  and  looked  into  the 
narrow,  stone  rooms ;  but  it  was  many  days  before  I 
could  force  myself  to  enter  one. 

I  grew  heart-sick,  and  faint  with  apprehension  of 
unknown  terrors  at  their  cheerless  aspect. 

"  What  lodgings  for  human  beings !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  They  are  not  very  pleasant,"  said  the  Deputy. 

"  If  you  were  the  one  to  blame  for  it  I  should  cer 
tainly  charge  you  with  great  inhumanity." 

"I  suppose  you  will  think  us  very  cruel  some 
times." 

"In  this  case  I  don't  know  as  you  can  help  it. 
You  did  not  make  these  sleeping  apartments  for  the 
prisoners.  The  public  functionaries  of  the  State 
may  be  thanked  for  showing  such  tender  mercies  as 
these." 

"  We  are  used  to  seeing  them,  and  they  don't  look 
to  us  as  they  do  to  you." 

"  Does  that  make  them  any  more  comfortable  for 
the  prisoners  ?  Do  they  get  used  to  them  so  as  to 
be  comfortable  ?  " 

"  I  presume  so.  I  know  they  are  more  comfor 
table  places  than  some  had  before  they  came  here." 

"Then  it  should  be  the  work  of  the  vaunting 
Christianity  of  this  religious  land  to  raise  such  deg 
radation  to  cleanliness,  comfort,  and  respectability." 

"  There  might  be  a  great  deal  done  in  that  direc 
tion  if  people  were  only  disposed  to  do  it." 


FIltST  DAY  IN  PRISON.  5 

"  Our  prisons  are  rather  private  affairs,  I  believe. 
They  can  only  be  visited  on  certain  days  and  occa 
sions." 

"  It  would  be  very  inconvenient  for  our  work  to 
have  people  running  in,  and  over  the  place  at  all 
times.  We  could  not  have  it.  And  it  wouldn't  be 
liked  by  the  prisoners  to  be  gazed  at  constantly." 

I  made  no  reply ;  but  I  thought  it  might  have  a 
salutary  effect  upon  the  discipline  of  the  prison, 
which  he  had  just  said  I  might  think  cruel,  to  be  ex 
posed  to  the  observation  of  the  public.  The  prison 
ers  must  have  lost  the  sensibility  which  would  shrink 
from  being  made  a  spectacle  before  they  came  in 
there.  If  visiting  were  allowed  only  on  certain  clays 
and  occasions,  the  place  and  the  convicts  would  be 
put  in  order  for  company,  and  a  very  incorrect  idea  of 
the  every-day  life  of  the  prisoners  would  be  obtained. 

If  there  were  liberty  to  visit  the  place,  every  day, 
many  might  go  from  curiosity,  and  it  might  become 
annoying.  That  very  curiosity  might  discover  and 
discuss  faults  in  the  management,  which  ought  to 
be  remedied,  and  thus  produce  a  counterbalancing 
benefit. 

The  officers  might  dislike  such  scrutiny,  especially, 
if  they  were  not  doing  their  duty.  They  are  officers 
of  the  government.  Is  it  not  proper  that  their  con 
duct  should  be  looked  after  by  the  people  as  much 
us  that  of  any  other  government  official  ? 

Evil  comrades  might  go  in  and  hold  improper 
communication  with  the  prisoners.  Can  they  not 
do  that  on  regular  visiting  days  ? 


6  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

Is  it  not  only  the  work  of  humanity  to  see  that 
crime  is  punished  in  a  way  that  will  not  increase  it ; 
but  also  that  of  the  legislator  as  a  matter  of  civil 
policy  ;  and  that  of  the  taxpayer  as  a  matter  of  per 
sonal  interest.  It  should  interest  every  man  and 
woman  as  a  matter  of  personal  protection  from  the 
depredations  of  vice  to  know  how  convicts  are 
treated,  and  to  judge  whether  that  treatment  tends 
to  reform  the  criminal,  or  to  harden  and  lead  him 
deeper  into  crime  when  he  is  let  out  into  the  world 
again  to  pursue  his  own  ways. 

Ought  the  punishment  of  criminals,  who  have 
been  tried,  convicted,  and  sentenced  publicly,  to  be 
conducted  in  secret  ?  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  the 
keeper  of  the  prison  is  trusty.  There  should  be  no 
presumption  in  the  matter.  It  should  be  known  that 
he  is  so,  and  he  should  be  kept  so- by  the  ceaseless 
vigilance  of  public  inspection.  What  is  the  quar 
terly,  or  semi-annual  visit  of  fifty  or  a  hundred  men 
when  the  visit  has  been  notified,  and  the  prison  put 
in  order  for  their  reception,  towards  effecting  that  ? 

My  residence  in  that  prison  led  me  to  see  that  the 
descriptions  of  Dickens,  and  his  compeers  in  the  re 
gions  of  fictitious  writing,  have  given,  not  the  poetic 
illusions  of  imaginary  sufferings  to  the  contemplation 
of  the  world  —  hardly  a  vivid  picture  of  the  truth. 

God  speed  the  day  when  our  prisons  and  peni 
tentiaries  may  take  a  place  beside  public  schools, 
orphan  asylums,  houses  of  refuge,  all  institutions  for 
the  cultivation  of  a  knowledge  which  tends  to  the 


FIRST  DAY  IN  PRISON.  7 

elevation  of  virtue,  and  the  suppression  of  vice,  in 
the  care  of  the  public  ! 

Our  own  children  may  not  stimulate  to  an  interest 
in  them.  Our  own  children  may  not  require  the 
benefit  of  the  public  school,  or  orphan  asylum ; 
but  somebody's  children  will.  In  working  for  the 
elevation  of  everybody's  children  are  we  not  benefit 
ing  our  own  ? 

After  he  had  shown  me  around,  so  that  I  might 
take  a  general  survey  of  my  field  of  labor,  the  Dep 
uty  left  me  with  my  charge,  saying,  — 

"  You  are  mistress  here.  No  one  has  a  right  to 
interfere  with  you,  and  you  are  responsible  to  no  one 
but  me,  or  the  Master." 

"  But  the  Head  Matron  will,  of  course,  come  and 
instruct  me  in  the  details  of  my  work.  I  must  know 
what  work  belongs  to  each  woman,  and  how  she  is 
expected  to  perform  it." 

"  The  women  know  their  work  and  will  do  it.  The 
most  yjpu  have  to  do  is  to  keep  order." 

"  That  may  be  a  man's  idea  of  managing  a  kitch 
en  ;  but  there  are  a  great  many  details  that  I  ought 
to  understand  in  order  to  get  the  work  properly  done,, 
and  done  in  its  proper  time ;  and  with  the  greatest 
ease  to  myself  and  the  women." 

"  The  other  Matrons  will  tell  you.  I  will  tell  you 
all  I  can." 

I  thought,  but  I  did  not  say  it,  —  You  are  better 
disposed  than  informed.  He  saw  by  the  anxious, 
expression  of  my  face  that  I  was  not  satisfied,  and 
added,  "  The  women  know,  they  will  tell  you." 


8  WOMAN  IN  PJRISON. 

I  made  no  reply ;  but  I  thought  —  It  is  not  the 
proper  thing  for  me  to  receive  my  instructions  from 
the  convicts.  It  is  their  place  to  be  instructed  by  me. 
If  I  am  taught  by  them,  I  am  placed  in  an  inferior 
position  to  them.  In  order  to  entertain  a  proper 
respect  for  me  they  should  look  up  to  me  as  their 
superior  in  all  things. 

The  arrangement  for  receiving  my  directions  from 
them  placed  me  too  much  in  their  power  also.  It 
would  be  only  indulging  natural  proclivities  to  "  play 
off"  on  me  under  the  circumstances  ;  and  I  could 
hardly  expect  these  poor,  abandoned  creatures  to  be 
superior  to  the  temptation  to  do  it  when  the  oppor 
tunity  was  afforded  them. 

I  could  not  consider  such  teachers  reliable.  If, 
by  misleading  me,  with  regard  to  a  rule  of  the  insti 
tution,  they  could  obtain  an  indulgence,  or  relieve 
themselves  of  a  burden,  would  they  not  take  the 
advantage  which  they  had  of  me  and  do  it.  I  was 
suspicious  that  they  would.  • 

There  was,  probably,  some  pride  mixed  with  these 
considerations,  that  rebelled  against  becoming  a 
pupil  of  convicts  when  I  was  their  mistress. 

I  stood  looking  on,  or  walking  around,  watching 
the  movements  of  the  women  very  narrowly,  till  one 
of  the  other  Matrons  came  in.  Then,  I  went  to  her 
with  a  volume  of  questions. 

To  most  of  them  I  received  the  answer,  — 

"  I  don't  know  about  that  particularly.  I  have 
never  had  anything  to  do  with  this,  department." 


FIRST  DAY  IN  PRISON.  9 

"Then,  how  am  I  to  learn  my  duties,  and  get 
definite  orders  for  the  regulation  of  my  work  ?  Is 
there  no  Head  Matron,  no  superior  officer  in  the 
women's  prison  to  whom  I  can  go  ?  " 

"  The  Master's  wife  is  enrolled  as  Head  Matron, 
and  receives  pay  as  such,  but  she  never  comes 
round." 

"  I  would  go  to  her  if  I  knew  where  to  find  her." 

"  I  don't  think  she  knows  much  more  about  it  than 
you  do,  if  you  were  to  go  to  her.  We  will  all  tell 
you." 

"  But  you  don't  know.  If  there  is  a  Head  Matron, 
and  she  is  paid  for  doing  the  duties  of  one,  why  does 
she  not  perform  them?  Is  she  enrolled  head  offi 
cer  of  this  prison  merely  to  obtain  the  salary  ?  The 
government  is  very  obliging  to  make  her  office  a 
sinecure." 

I  was  already  perplexed  —  I  was  beginning  to  get 
vexed. 

"  Her  husband  does  them  for  her,  perhaps." 

"  Perhaps  !  Then  why  is  he  not  here,  to  tell  me 
the  work  which  belongs  to  each  woman,  and  how  she 
is  to  do  it;  what  work  is  required,  and  how  I  am 
to  get  my  things  to  do  with  ?  But  how  can  the 
Master  attend  to  his  own  duties  and  those  of  the 
Head  Matron  too  ?  " 

"The  Deputy  will  tell  you." 

"  He  must  have  his  own  duties  to  attend  to  —  how 
can  he  perform  hers  ?  He  is  just  as  willing  to  tell 
me  as  you  are,  and  I  don't  think  he  knows  any  more 
about  my  place  than  you  do." 


10  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  The  women  know,  they  will  tell  you." 

I  was  thrown  back  upon  the  convicts  again  for  my 
instructions. 

I  went  on,  despairing  of  help,  to  study  them  out 
as  best  I  could.  Sometimes  by  asking  left-hand 
questions  of  the  women,  and  sometimes  by  getting 
direct  explanations  from  them  ;  but  chiefly  by  watch 
ing  the  progress  of  the  work.  The  place  seemed  to 
me  full  of  disorder,  confusion,  and  dirt. 

When  the  Deputy  came  round  again,  I  was  full 
of  trouble. 

He  said,  when  I  complained  to  him,  — 

"  You  will  find  things  in  confusion.  The  Matron 
who  went  away  yesterday  was  inefficient." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  I  replied ;  "  but  the  confusion  ap 
pears  to  me  to  date  farther  back  than  the  last  Matron. 
It  arises  from  the  want  of  a  head  officer  to  regulate 
affairs." 

"  I  have  double  the  trouble  on  this  side,  with  four 
Matrons  and  a  hundred  women,  than  with  three  hun 
dred  men  and  more  than  a  dozen  officers  on  the 
other." 

u  You  would  insinuate  that  women  are  more  diffi 
cult  to  get  on  with  than  men.  I  make  a  very  differ 
ent  solution  of  the  difficulty  in  this  particular  case. 
You  are  on  the  ground  all  of  the  time ;  explain  his 
duty  to  every  officer,  and  see  that  he  does  it.  That 
makes  the  officer's  work  distinct  before  him.  It  is 
done  under  your  eye,  which  makes  it  promptly  and 
well  done.  If  that  were  the  case  on  this  side,  we 


FIRST  DAY  IN  PRISON.  11 

t 

might  be  as  orderly,  and  have  as  little  trouble  in  per 
forming  our  part,  as  you  on  yours.  The  cook  tells 
me  that  certain  work  belongs  to  the  slide  woman  ; 
the  slide  woman  says  it  belongs  to  the  sink  women  ; 
the  sink  women  shift  it  on  the  steam  woman,  and  so 
I  am  kept  on  the  chase,  from  one  to  another,  for  some 
one  to  do  a  piece  of  labor.  I  do  not  know  who  ought 
to  do  it,  and  they  know  it.  If  they  do  not  intend  to 
confuse  me,  they  intend  to  clear  themselves  of  all 
the  work  they  can." 

"  Use  your  own  judgment,  and  call  on  whom  you 
please.  They  are  all  obliged  to  obey  any  order  that 
you  give." 

"  If  I  call  upon  one  to  do  the  work  that  has  for 
merly  been  done  by  another,  I  stir  up  ill  feelings 
among  the  prisoners  towards  each  other,  and  con 
tention,  and  they  think  me  hard  and  unjust.  It 
makes  me  trouble.  They  obey  my  order  reluctantly, 
and  say,  4  That  isn't  my  work.' " 

"  If  they  quarrel,  they  know  the  punishment.  If 
they  refuse  to  obey  your  orders,  report  them  to  me. 
and  I  will  put  them  where  they  will  be  glad  to  obey." 
He  nodded  towards  the  prison  door. 

I  knew  he  must  refer  to  some  kind  of  punishment. 
I  did  not  know  what ;  but  frightful  visions  of  the 
cruelties  of  which  I  had  read  rose  in  my  imagination, 
and  I  said  no  more. 

I  vowed  to  myself  that  I  would  never  get  them 
punished  by  refusing  to  obey  my  unjust  exactions  if 
I  could  help  it. 


12  WOMAN  IN  PHIS  ON. 

My  thoughts  did  not  stop  with  my  words.  I  rea 
soned  with  myself.  If  my  ignorance,  or  bad  manage 
ment,  cause  me  to  be  unjust  towards  those  women, 
and  if  I,  by  my  injustice,  arouse  their  bad  temper  so 
as  to  cause  them  to  be  punished,  who  will  be  most  in 
fault  ?  I  decided  that  I  should  be.  The  question 
suggested  itself  to  me  —  If  you  get  them  punished 
unjustly  who  will  avenge  them  ?  The  All-seeing- 
Eye  will  notice,  and  avenge  it.  I  will  be  careful. 

I  resolved  to  feel  my  way  along  softly  and  care 
fully.  There  was  no  relief  for  my  dilemma,  except 
in  my  own  ingenuity  to  find  out  the  ways  of  the 
place,  and  the  proper  management  to  apply  to  it. 


AT  NIGHT.  13 


AT   NIGHT. 

AT  seven  o'clock,  p.  M.,  came  the  marching  in  to 
supper,  and  the  locking  up  of  all  the  prisoners. 

I  looked  to  see,  as  they  filed  past  me,  one  by  one, 
if  they  carried  marks  of  their  crimes  upon  their  faces. 
I  saw  nothing  unusual  in  the  mass  ;  occasionally  an 
individual  countenance  betrayed  the  vicious  habits 
which  had  brought  the  woman  there.  If  I  had  not 
known  that  they  were  convicts,  I  should  never  have 
suspected  them  to  be  different  from  the  ordinary 
poor  people  who  are  constantly  passing  along  the 
streets. 

About  sixty  of  the  women  in  the  Penitential-} 
were  employed  in  the  shop  upon  contract  vests,  pan 
taloons,  coats,  and  shirts.  There  were  about  fifty 
employed  upon  sewing-machines.  The  rest  cut, 
basted,  and  finished  the  work. 

There  were  from  four  to  ten  in  the  wash-room. 
These  were  all  lodged  in  my  domain,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  two  or  three  who  slept  in  the  hospital. 

When  they  left  their  work,  at  night,  they  were 
placed  in  file,  in  the  order  of  their  cells,  and  marched 
into  the  prison  past  the  ration  door,  where  their 


14  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

meals  were  handed  out  to  them,  through  a  slide, 
from  the  kitchen. 

Their  supper  was  a  "  skillet  pan  "  of  mush,  or  a 
slice  of  bread,  and  a  quart  of  rye  coffee,  which  was 
taken  to  their  cells  to  be  eaten  after  they  were  locked 
in  their  rooms  —  or  stone  dens,  I  called  them  in 
my  indignation.  The  sight  of  those  little,  cramped 
stone  cells  recalled  to  my  memory  the  pictures  of 
dungeons,  and  imprisonments,  and  tortures  which  I 
had  looked  at  in  my  childhood  till  my  heart  was 
racked  with  agony  at  the  cruelties  which  they  por 
trayed. 

It  was  no  paper  picture  that  I  was  looking  upon. 
but  a  stern  reality ;  and  my  shrinking  spirit  asked 
again  and  again,  as  I  saw  those  poor  creatures 
marched  in,  and  immured  for  the  night,  —  Why  did 
your  folly  prompt  you  to  undertake  such  work  ? 

Never  shall  I  forget  the  hissing  creak  of  the  sliding 
bar  as  it  closed  them  in  ;  or  the  click  of  the  lock  as 
I  turned  the  key  in  it,  for  the  first  time,  upon  those 
poor  wretches.  Long  before  I  got  through  with  the 
thirty-six  locks,  it.  fell  to  my  share  to  bolt,  my  fingers 
were  bruised,  and  my  arm  ached  ;  but  not  so  much  as 
my  heart. 

I  looked  in  upon  the  poor  things,  one  by  one,  as  I 
locked  them  in.  An  agony  of  pity  worked  itself 
into  my  soul,  and  oppressed  me  almost  to  suffocation. 

I  said  to  myself — Is  this  a  woman's  work  ?  May 
be.  If  it  must  be  done,  it  should  be  done  tenderly. 
Great  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  pity  them  in  their  cold, 


AT  NIGHT.  15 

damp,  narrow  cells,  and  make  their  straw  pallets 
couches  of  rest !  I  prayed  mentally  as  I  left  the 
grated  doors. 

I  had  thought  this  to  be  missionary  ground.  I 
might  teach  some  of  them  the  way  to  Eternal  Life, 
and  the  way  to  reformation.  Alas  !  I  found  little 
chance  with  those  who  went  to  the  shop  and  wash 
room.  They  rose  at  sunrise,  and  worked  till  sunset. 
No  one  was  allowed  to  hold  communication  with 
them,  but  their  own  Overseer,  about  their  work. 
Neither  were  they  allowed  to  talk  in  their  cells  at 
night,  and  they  would  have  been  too  tired  if  they 
had  been  given  the  liberty  to  do  so.  The  task 
master  had  been  over  them  all  day  to  drive  them, 
pitilessly,  to  fulfill  their  sentence  of  so  many  months 
hard  labor  in  the  Penitentiary. 

I  turned  away,  sadly,  from  that  disappointed  hope  ; 
but  I  saw  the  opportunity  still  before  me  to  teach  the 
nine,  whom  I  had  under  my  immediate  care,  to  gov 
ern  their  tempers,  and  their  passions,  and  to  lead  a 
new  life.  It  was  teaching  only  that  could  effect  it. 
They  were  ignorant  of  the  way  to*do  it. 

My  bonnet  and  shawl  had  lain  all  day  upon  the 
table  that  was  placed  for  my  use  in  the  kitchen.  The 
woman,  who  was  to  wait  upon  me  in  my  room,  had 
asked  if  she  should  take  them  up.  I  had  said,  no, 
thinking  I  might  find  time  to  go  with  her  ;  but  that 
opportunity  did  not  offer. 

After  the  w<»nen  were  locked  up,  the  Receiving 
Matron  said  to  her,  "  Take  those  things  to  our  room  ! 
We  will  go  up  now,"  she  said  to  me. 


16  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

I  started  back  as  she  led  me  to  the  stone  stairs  of 
the  prison,  and  began  to  ascend  them. 

"  Where  are  we  going  ?  "  I  asked  in  surprise. 

"  Our  room  is  up  here,"  she  replied  quietly. 

"  In  the  prison  !  are  we  to  sleep  in  the  prison  ?  " 

«  Yes." 

She  made  no  further  comment.  It  was  too  late 
in  the  day  to  recede  or  demur.  I  followed  her  up, 
up,  up,  over  five  stone  flights,  along  a  stone  walk  to 
the  farther  end  of  the  building,  through  a  grated 
door,  into  a  room  made  up  of  a  half  dozen  cells  with 
a  dormer  window  in  the  roof.  Some  straw  had  been 
thrown  down  upon  the  stone  floor,  and  an  old  woolen 
carpet  laid  over  it.  The  walls  were  of  stone  like 
the  cells,  and  whitewashed  like  them.  There  were 
some  wooden  chairs,  an  old  bureau,  two  sinks,  and 
two  single  beds,  arranged  on  opposite  sides  of  the 
room.  In  one  corner  was  a  double  wardrobe,  appar 
ently  to  be  shared  in  common  by  both  Matrons. 

I  had  not  given  my  own  accommodations  a  thought 
in  taking  my  place  in  the  prison.  In  all  institutions 
of  the  kind  which  I  had  ever  been  in,  each  Matron 
had  a  nice  bedroom  to  herself,  in  a  comfortable  part 
of  the  house,  and  most  of  them  comfortable  sitting- 
rooms  attached.  It  never  occurred  to  me  that  a 
female  officer,  in  any  public  institution,  could  be 
requested  to  occupy  such  a  room.  However  I  could 
bring  myself  to  it  for  the  sake  of  carrying  out  the 
purpose  that  induced  me  to  take  the^place. 

I  stood  a  moment,  and  looked  all  round  the  room. 


AT  NIGHT.  17 

I  then  examined  the  bed.     It  was  clean,  and  looked 
comfortable. 

"  Is  this  all  the  room,  and  are  these  all  the  com 
forts  we  are  to  have  ?  "  I  asked  of  the  Receiving 
Matron. 

"  You  see  all,"  she  replied.  "If  we  had  more,  we 
should  have  no  time  to  enjoy  them." 

"  Rather  a  sorry  prospect  if  one  is  to  take  herself 
into  consideration  at  all.  Is  there  a  bath-room  that 
we  can  use  ?  To  take  a  bath  would  be  really  re 
freshing,  and  help  me  to  sleep  to-night,  I  am  so 
tired." 

"  I  am  tired  all  of  the  time,  and  there  is  no  chance 
to  rest.  We  must  rise  at  four  in  the  morning,  and 
be  on  the  spring  every  moment  till  eight  in  the  even 
ing  ;  you  will  be  on  duty  till  nine,  because  you  re 
ceive  the  keys  at  that  hour." 

"  Every  day  ?  " 

"  Every  day  !  " 

"  There  is  usually  a  Relief  Matron  in  such  insti 
tutions,  so  that  the  other  Matrons  can  have  rest." 

"  There  used  to  be  one  here  ;  but,  instead  of  that, 
there  is  an  Assistant  Matron  in  the  shop." 

"  Then  the  Shop  Matron  has  all  of  the  relief,  and 
the  others  none.  Why  is  that  ?  " 

"  They  want  to  get  as  much  work  done  in  the  shop 
as  possible,  to  support  the  institution,  the  Master 
says.  When  I  get  tired,  and  feel  like  grumbling,  I 
tell  them  it  is  money  taken  out  of  our  flesh  and  blood 
to  make  the  institution  rich." 
2 


18  WOMAN  IN  PEISON. 

"  It  is  probably  the  way  the  Master  takes  to  rec 
ommend  himself  to  the  Board  of  Directors.  They 
like  him  for  his  thrift  in  managing." 

"  I  don't  know  where  the  money  goes  ;  but  I  know 
we  are  worked  to  death.  I  am  dying  by  inches." 

"  Why  must  I  be  up  an  hour  later  than  the  rest  to 
receive  the  keys  ?  " 

"  Because  you  have  them  in  charge  during  the 
night,  those  that  stay  in  the  prison.  If  you  are  out, 
I  take  them." 

"  Out !     What  time  have  I  to  go  out  ?  " 

"  Three  evenings  in  the  week,  after  the  prisoners 
are  locked  up,  if  you  wish." 

"  What  time  have  I  then  ?  " 

"  You  can  be  gone  till  four  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  if  you  like." 

"When  shall  I  sleep?" 

"  You  can  make  your  own  arrangements  for  that. 
Perhaps  on  the  way,  if  you  take  a  horse  car." 

"  I  am  afraid  to  go  out  evenings  alone ;  but  in  that 
relief  I  can  get  a  bath." 

"  I  forgot  your  question  about  the  bath-room. 
There  is  none,  that  I  know  of,  for  the  officers'  use. 
There  is  one  in  the  house  for  the  Master's  family.  I 
don't  know  whether  the  Matrons  that  lodge  there 
are  allowed  to  use  it." 

"  Then  some  of  the  Matrons  are  lodged  comforta 
bly  in  the  house.  Why  is  that  distinction  made  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  There  are  bathing-tubs,  for  the 
prisoners,  in  my  wash-house.  I  never  use  them ;  but 


AT  NIGHT.  19 

if  you  wish  to,  you  can.  They  are  scrubbed  out 
clean." 

"  I  must  be  up  from  four  A.  M.,  'till  nine  P.  M. 
That  makes  seventeen  hours  of  labor." 

"  Sometimes  you  will  be  required  to  sit  up  one, 
two,  or  three  hours  later." 

"  Why  ?  " 

"  The  Master's  wife  or  daughters  may  have  com 
pany,  and  keep  the  women  up-stairs.  We  have  to 
sit  up  and  wait  for  them  to  come  in,  so  as  to  lock 
them  up." 

*<  And  be  up  all  the  same  at  four  next  morning  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Do  the  Master's  wife  and  daughters  get  up  at 
four  the  next  morning,  after  sitting  up  so  late,  and  go 
to  work  ?  " 

«  Of  course  not." 

"  If  the  wife  is  Head  Matron,  has  she  not  her  duties 
to  do  in  the  morning  as  well  as  we  ?  And  ought  she 
not  to  see  that  the  other  officers  are  not  worked  like 
that  ?  If  she  possesses  the  common  feelings  of  hu 
manity,  she  would  provide  some  relief,  if  it  were  in 
her  power." 

"  There  is  not  much  humanity  in  exercise  here. 
We  are  all  too  hard  worked  to  think  of  any  one  but 
ourselves." 

"  I  should  think  that  might  be  your  case." 

"  I  often  tell  them  it  is  as  much  a  House  of  Cor 
rection  for  the  officers  as  the  prisoners." 

"  Ten  hours  of  labor  is  now  considered  a  good 


20  WOMAN  IN  PHIS  ON. 

day's  work.  To  drag  the  convicts  from  sunrise  to 
sunset  only  exhausts  them.  They  do  not  get  through 
with  as  much  work  as  they  would  do  in  ten  hours, 
and  the  intervening  time  given  to  rest." 

"  That  has  been  an  established  rule  here  for  fifty 
years  or  more." 

"  It  is  certainly  a  very  antiquated  idea,  all  of  a 
half  century  old.  I  recollect  hearing  my  grandfather 
say  that  people  worked  that  way  when  he  was  a  boy. 
But  people's  ideas  have  changed  since  that  time,  and 
the  people  of  this  generation  consider  such  demands 
of  labor  very  unreasonable." 

"  The  only  changes  here  have  been  to  make  things 
harder.  They  will  put  upon  you  all  they  can  make 
you  do." 

If  she  had  been  telling  the  truth  that  was  a  plain, 
but  correct  statement  of  facts. 

"  How  long  has  the  present  Master  had  charge 
here?" 

"  Forty-five  or  fifty  years." 

"  It  is  no  wonder  that  his  heart  has  become  like  the 
nether  millstone.  No  man  ought  to  remain  in  such  a 
place  such  a  length  of  time.  The  best  human  heart 
that  ever  beat  would  become  ossified,  if  it  ever  enter 
tained  human  feelings,  if  compelled  to  exercise  such 
continued  tyrannous  exactions." 

"  I  don't  know  whether  he  ever  had  human  feel 
ings  —  he  does  not  exercise  much  humanity,  as  I 
regard  it,  now." 

"  But  he  does  not  make  the  laws  for  the  regulation 


AT  NIGHT,  21 

of  the  institution.  There  must  be  State  laws  and 
a  Board  of  Overseers  to  which  he  is  accountable. 
There  must  be  printed  regulations  for  the  manage 
ment  of  this  prison.  I  will  get  them  from  the  Dep 
uty  to-morrow." 

"  If  you  can,  you  will  accomplish  more  than  the 
rest  of  us  have  been  able  to  do." 

"  I  can  try." 

"  You  can  try,  and  I  hope  you  will  succeed.  The 
rest  of  us  have  been  told  that  there  were  no  printed 
rules  that  would  do  us  any  good.  It  may  be  a  ben 
efit  to  the  rest  of  us  if  you  succeed." 

I  lay  down  upon  my  bed.  Sleep  was  out  of  the 
question.  The  effluvia  of  a  hundred  human  bodies 
came  up  through  our  open  door,  rank  with  nauseous 
odor.  I  got  up  and  opened  our  one  window  to  its 
utmost  extent,  first  asking  my  room-mate  if  it  would 
be  disagreeable  to  her  te*  have  it  left  so. 

Fatigue  even  would  not  overcome  the  noise  of 
the  rattling  buckets,  the  snoring,  coughing,  and 
groaning  of  the  tired  women.  If  I  closed  my  eyes, 
my  head  was  in  confusion.  I  was  going  up,  up,  up 
over  the  stone  steps,  and  looking  over  the  rails  down 
the  dizzy  height,  to  the  stone  floor  below. 

I  lay  thinking  over  my  prison  prospects.  Seven 
teen  hours  of  regular  labor,  to  which  might  be  added 
occasionally,  one,  two,  or  three  more.  The  other 
seven,  with  the  noise  of  that  prison  ringing  in  my 
ears,  and  the  care  of  it,  if  accident  or  sickness  inter 
vene.  How  long  can  any  constitution  bear  such  a 


22  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

strain  ?  Surely  the  Board  of  Directors  cannot  un 
derstand  how  things  are  managed  here.  They  can 
not  understand  the  amount  of  work  which  is  de 
manded  by  the  Master  of  his  female  Prison  Matron. 
One  other  was  no  more  favored,  by  her  own  account. 
I  was  glad  when  the  four  o'clock  bell  rung  me  up 
to  my  duties. 


SECOND  DAY  IN  PEISON.  23 


III. 

SECOND    DAY   IN   PRISON. 

THERE  was  a  small  bell  hung  directly  over  my 
head ;  the  wire  from  it  reached  into  the  men's 
prison.  It  was  rung  by  the  watchman  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  call  me  up. 

I  sprang  out  of  bed  at  the  first  tinkle,  threw  a 
shawl  around  me,  put  my  feet  into  my  slippers,  ran 
down,  unlocked  my  steam  woman  to  make  her  fire, 
and  my  cook  to  start  her  breakfast.  I  let  them  into 
the  kitchen,  and  locked  them  in.  Then,  I  went 
back  to  dress  myself. 

Up,  up,  over  the  five  flights,  past  the  grated  doors, 
over  the  stone  walks.  The  air  of  that  prison  sent 
a  chill  over  me  like  that  of  a  tomb.  Were  not 
those  cells  the  tomb  of  love,  of  hope,  of  peace,  and 
respectability  !  In  them  lay  buried  all  of  this 
world's  success,  all  that  it  values :  how  much  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  life  to  come  God  knows.  Those 
black  doors  were  a  pall  of  disgrace  of  deeper  dye 
than  that  which  covers  the  coffin  with  its  lifeless 
clay.  I  was  chilled  through  and  through  by  my 
thoughts  and  the  objects  that  engendered  them. 
And  those  objects  were  to  be  ever  there  before  my 


24  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

sight,  while  I  remained  in  prison,  and  those  thoughts 
must  ever  arise  to  be  rny  company.  I  could  escape ; 
no  prison  bar  was  slid  upon  me  to  keep  me  there  ; 
but  the  convicts  must  remain.  The  unyielding  lock, 
the  unremitting  toil,  the  pursuing  regret,  and  the 
torture  of  remorse  were  before  them,  upon  them, 
within  them. 

I  might  be  able  to  speak  to  them  a  word  of  pity, 
of  hope  in  a  better  life  to  come.  The  thought  gave 
me  courage  to  go  to  my  day's  work. 

I  took  no  unnecessary  time  for  personal  adorning ; 
but  my  fingers  were  benumbed  and  moved  slowly. 
I  had  scarcely  finished  dressing  when  the  u  first 
bell "  rung. 

That  was  the  large  bell  in  the  yard  that  called  all 
of  the  prisoners  from  their  beds. 

At  that  signal  I  was  to  assist  in  unlocking  the 
rest  of  the  women.  If  they  were  not  out  of  their 
beds  when  the  key  was  put  in  the  lock,  they  were 
called  to  sharply  by  the  Matron  who  was  with  me  — 

"  Come,  get  up !  How  dare  you  lie  there  after 
the  first  bell  has  rung  ! " 

It  might  prove  necessary  to  talk  to  some  lag 
gards  in  that  harsh  way  ;  but  I  would  try  some 
other  method,  with  those  of  whom  I  had  the  care, 
first. 

Yawning,  and  groaning,  and  moaning,  they  dragged 
themselves  out  of  their  beds  and  made  them  up. 
After  this  was  done  they  tied  them  up  against 
the  wall  with  a  cord  which  was  attached  to  the  iron 


SECOND  DAY  IN  PRISON.  25 

bars  upon  which  the  bed  rested,  and  then  passed 
over  a  hook  in  the  side  of  the  cell.  Then,  they 
stood  waiting  for  the  second  bell,  which  was  the  sig 
nal  for  them  to  go  to  work. 

Poor,  pitiable  objects,  they  looked,  as  they  were 
mustered  for  the  long  day's  drill  of  thankless,  unre-  j 
quited  toil.     They  worked  without  a  motive,  and  | 
they  went  to  it  with  listless  indifference,  or  the  sul 
len  determination  to  escape  all  of  the  task  which 
they  could.     They  accomplished   their  work  as   it  ; 
was  driven  from  them  ;  not  by  the  lash,  but  by  fear 
of  passing  the  night  upon  the  bare  iron  bars  of  their 
bed-frame  ;    or  the  stone  floor  of  the  solitary  cell,  \ 
without  covering  beside  their  ordinary  dress,  without 
food,  save  the  daily  slice  of,  bread  and  quart  of  cold 
water. 

Between  the  ringing  of  the  bells  the  unlocking 
had  been  accomplished.  One  of  the  sweeps  was 
stationed  at  the  end  of  the  upper  tier  of  cells. 
When  the  second  bell  rung  I  called  to  her,  — 

"  Slide  your  bar  !  " 

The  long  bar  that  runs  across  the  top  of  all  the 
cells  of  one  division,  with  a  bolt  reaching  clown  over 
each  door  to  keep  it  shut  when  it  is  unlocked,  was 
then  drawn  out  by  her,  so  that  the  doors  could  be 
opened.  I  then  called,  — 

"  Third  Division  !  " 

At  that  they  all  appeared  at  their  doors. 

I  called,  "  Front !  " 

The  doors  were  opened,  and  they  stood  on  the 
threshold. 


26  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

«  Right  face  !  "    All  wheeled  to  the  right. 

"  March  !  "  was  the  next  order. 

At  that  word  they  marched  down  the  stairs,  in  the 
order  that  they  came  out  of  their  cells,  deposited 
the  ration  pan  and  quart,  in  which  they  had  carried 
their  supper  to  their  rooms  the  night  before,  on  the 
ration  table,  to  be  taken  into  the  kitchen  and 
washed,  ready  to  receive  their  breakfast,  which  was 
passed  out  in  them  when  they  came  in  from  work  at 
seven. 

The  other  divisions  were  called  out  in  the  same 
way,  and  followed  in  their  orcTer. 

Unrefreshed,  sleepy,  and  without  energy,  they 
moved  along  to  their  two  hours  of  labor  before 
breakfast.  And  such  a  breakfast  to  look  forward  to 
when  it  came.  Rye  coffee  and  mush,  varied  with 
brown  bread  once  a  week,  and  this  purposely  stinted 
to  the  least  possible  amount  which  one  could  subsist 
on  and  work. 

I  noticed  that  most  of  them  took  only  their  coffee, 
and  worked  upon  that  when  it  was  brown  bread 
morning  till  the  noon  meal  came. 

Many  a  one  looked  into  her  quart,  as  she  passed 
me,  and  sighed  out,  "  God  help  us  !  " 

"  May  He  help  you  !  He  only  can  —  I  cannot," 
was  my  response  ;  but  not  always  made  audibly. 

He  only  knew  how  I  longed  to  do  so.  I  often 
said  to  myself,  as  the  days  passed  on,  I  would  not 
starve  a  dumb  dog  as  those  poor  human  things  are 
starved.  I  would  not  work  a  dumb  animal  as  those 


SECOND  DAY  IN  PHIS  ON.  27 

poor  human  things  are  worked!  Nor  would  the 
Master  feed  his  horse  as  they  were  fed ;  nor  would 
he  stall  him  as  those  prisoners  were  lodged. 

I  did  what  I  could  for  them.  I  asked  the  Deputy 
if  he  could  not  substitute  flour  bread  for  the  brown 
which  they  refused.  He  answered,  — 

"  No !  They  will  come  to  it.  The  Master  will 
not  change  the  order." 

They  did  not  come  to  it.  And  day  after  day,  as  I 
saw  them  go  breakfastless  to  their  work,  I  wished, 
—  was  it  wrong?  perhaps  so,  —  that  the  avenger 
might  be  on  the  track  of  that  unfeeling  Master,  and 
that  the  day  might  come  when  he  might  be  obliged 
to  breakfast  upon  a  quart  of  rye  coffee  and  a  slice  of 
brown  bread,  instead  of  the  steaks,  and  eggs,  and 
toasts,  and  other  delicacies  that  I  saw  carried  to  his 
room  from  the  kitchen,  as  I  passed  through  it  to  the 
officers'  dining-room. 

If  it  aroused  such  indignation  to  witness  such 
cruelty,  what  must  it  do  in  the  hearts  of  those  who 
suffer  from  it !  Does  such  correction  of  convicts 
tend  to  arouse  better  purposes  in  their  hearts  than 
those  which  brought  them  into  prison  ?  Such  treat 
ment  aroused  in  them  anger  and  revenge.  When 
they  dared,  and  in  every  way  which  they  could  in 
vent  without  laying  themselves  liable  to  punishment, 
they  gave  expression  to  their  feelings. 

When  they  were  dismissed  from  the  prison,  the 
officer  usually  remarked,  "We  shall  have  that 
boarder  back  again." 


28  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

The  answer  that  I  should  have  made,  had  I 
spoken  my  thoughts,  would  have  been  —  The  whole 
tendency  of  their  discipline  here  is  to  produce  that 
end. 

The  first  thing  that  I  did,  after  breakfast  was 
over,  was  to  take  the  names  of  my  six  kitchen 
women,  and  learn,  as  nearly  as  I  could,  just  what 
work  belonged  to  each  one  of  them. 

There  were  two  sink  women,  McMullins  and 
Magill.  Their  work  was  to  wash  the  dishes,  keep 
the  sink  clean,  and  scrub  about  one  quarter  of  the 
floor.  The  slide  woman  scrubbed  the  ration  table, 
a  certain  portion  of  the  floor,  washed  the  quarts  and 
piled  them  up,  scrubbed  the  table  in  the  centre  of 
the  room,  took  care  of  the  flour  bread  when  it  came 
in,  and  the  pieces  that  were  left.  At  meal  time  she 
passed  out  the  coffee,  and  put  the  potatoes  in  the 
ration  pans. 

The  cook  made  the  mush,  which  was  boiled  twice 
a  day,  the  soup,  and  hash,  and  stewed  the  peas.  She 
had  a  certain  portion  of  the  floor  to  scrub,  and  the 
room  to  keep  tidy,  as  well  as  her  boilers  to  wash. 

The  steam  woman  took  care  of  the  steam  boiler, 
made  the  coffee,  helped  the  cook  slice  the  meat,  and 
kept  her  portion  of  the  floor  clean.  It  was  a  part  of 
her  work  to  pile  the  ration  pans  in  rows  of  pyramids 
on  the  centre  table. 

The  one  .who  tended  the  women's  slide  had  one 
half  of  the  floor  to  scrub,  and  the  Master's  furnace, 
which  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  kitchen,  to  tend. 


SECOND  DAY  IN  PRISON.  29 

There  were  many  things  to  be  done  in  common, 
where  all  helped  ;  like  the  carrying  out  of  the 
swill,  which  was  emptied  into  tubs  when  the  ration 
pans  came  in  to  be  washed.  That  was  carried  a 
long  way  down  the  yard,  poured  into  barrels,  and 
left  for  the  yard  man  to  take  to  the  piggery. 

They  all  helped  to  bring  up  the  potatoes,  four 
barrels  at  a  time,  wash  them  in  the  sink  with  a  large 
bat-stick,  and  then  put  them  in  the  boiler  to  be 
cooked  by  steam. 

To  make  the  confusion  more  confounded,  the 
work  was  changed  round,  and  new  hands  put  to  it, 
the  day  I  went  there.  The  bringing  up  of  the  coal, 
for  the  steam  boiler,  which  had  heretofore  devolved 
upon  the  steam  woman,  was  now  required  of  all  the 
rest,  to  be  divided  among  them,  because  the  steam 
woman  had  had  a  broken  wrist,  and  it  was  not  quite 
strong  again.  That  gave  dissatisfaction,  and  created 
grumbling,  and  the  constant  contention  of  shifting 
the  labor  from  one  to  the  other.  The  rest  were 
constantly  fretting  Allen,  the  steam  woman,  because 
she  asked  it  of  them. 

To  settle  the  difficulty  I  asked  the  Deputy,  when 
he  came  round,  —  "  who  should  bring  up  the  coal  for 
Allen  ?  " 

"  Any  of  them  that  you  see  fit  to  order." 

That  was  an  excellent  hint  to  me.  Allen  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  giving  her  own  orders,  which 
made  it  necessary  for  me  to  interfere  continually  so 
as  to  get  them  executed,  and  also  to  keep  peace 


30  WOMAN  IN  PETS  ON. 

They  invariably  answered  her  back  with  refusal 
when  she  asked  for  coal,  and  made  altercation  over 
every  bucket  that  was  needed. 

All  orders,  like  information,  were  given  promis 
cuously.  I  at  once  gave  direction  that  all  orders 
were  to  be  given  through  me. 

"Allen,  when  you  wish  for  coal,  come  to  me 
for  it ! " 

Orders  had  no  authority  when  given  by  one  to 
another;  and  by  watching  I  discovered  that  Allen 
was  disposed  to  retaliate  the  little  peckings  she  re 
ceived,  by  making  the  one  that  aggravated  her  most 
bring  up  the  most  coal. 

It  was  more  than  one  day's  work  to  bring  them  to 
this  arrangement.  So  I  made  it  another  rule  that 
when  they  differed  they  were  never  to  answer  back ; 
but  come  to  me  to  settle  the  trouble.  That  was 
rather  more  difficult  to  establish  than  the  first,  they 
were  so  hot-headed,  and  anxious  to  defend  them 
selves. 

O'Sullivan,  one  of  the  slide  women,  undertook  to 
try  my  authority  on  the  first  order  which  I  gave  for 
coal.  She  sat  idly  upon  her  table,  and  I  asked  her 
to  bring  it  up. 

A  scowl  came  over  her  face,  she  hesitated,  and 
then  answered, — 

"  She's  just  as  well  able  to  bring  up  the  coal  as  I." 

"  That's  so !  that's  so ! "  came  from  three  or  four 
other  voices. 

"  Stop !  every  one  !     It  is  the  order  that  Allen  is 


SECOND  DAY  IN  PRISON.  31 

not  to  bring  up  coal ;  you  have  nothing  to  say  about 
it." 

The  others  were  silenced. 

"  O'Sullivan,  will  you  bring  up  a  bucket  of  coal  ?  " 

"I'm  not  going  to  bring  up  her  coal;  she's  as 
well  able  to  fetch  it  up  as  I." 

"  You  will  do  just  what  I  tell  you  !  Go  now  and 
bring  a  bucket  of  coal ! " 

She  started,  after  looking  me  in  the  eye  a  few  sec 
onds  to  see  whether  she  could  succeed  if  she  at 
tempted  to  disobey. 

"When  you  come  back  I  will  talk  with  you 
about  it." 

I  must  have  prompt  obedience.  I  saw  that  her 
condition,  that  of  motherhood,  required  considera 
tion. 

While  she  was  gone  Allen  came  to  me  and  whis 
pered,  — 

"  They  never  lock  up  women  like  her,  so  she  takes 
the  advantage." 

After  she  had  brought  up  the  coal,  and  sat  down 
upon  the  table  again,  I  went  along  to  her,  laid  my 
hand  upon  her  shoulder,  stooped  down,  and  said 
softly,— 

"  I  see  the  condition  that  you  are  in,  —  I  know 
that  it  requires  care,  —  I  am  a  mother,  —  I  will  see 
that  you  do  no  more  than  your  part.  You  will  do 
as  I  wish  in  future,  pleasantly,  will  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  ma'am!" 

I  then  called  them  all  around  me,  and  said  to 
them,  — 


32  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  The  bringing  up  of  the  coal  for  the  steam  boiler 
is  to  be  divided  among  you.  I  will  give  each  her 
share  of  it  to  do  as  equally  as  I  can.  If  any  one  of 
you  thinks  she  is  doing  more  than  belongs  to  her, 
rightfully,  make  no  talk  about  it,  but  come  directly 
to  me,  and  I  will  see  that  it  is  made  right." 

My  first  object  was  to  lead  the  women  to  make  me 
the  central,  regulating  power,  in  the  kitchen,  so  that 
I  could  reduce  the  chaotic  state  of  affairs  to  some 
thing  like  order. 

"  In  a  week,"  I  said  to  the  Deputy  that  day,  "  I 
hope  to  get  something  like  order  established." 

"  I  will  give  you  a  month  to  get  the  run  of  things." 

"  You  want  the  meals  well  cooked,  and  promptly 
passed  out  at  the  time ;  the  place  kept  quiet  and 
clean." 

"  That  is  what  we  want." 

"  Be  patient,  and  in  a  week  or  two  we  shall  arrive 
at  that." 

"  I  shall  find  no  fault  till  I  see  occasion." 

That  night,  after  the  work  was  done,  I  called  them 
all  around  me,  and  told  them  they  would  find  me 
kind  and  pleasant,  if  they  were  obedient.  If  they 
were  not,  they  would  surely  find  themselves  in 
trouble,  because  it  was  a  part  of  my  duty  to  make 
them  obey,  and  it  must  be  done  by  the  rules  of  the 
institution ;  I  could  not  change  them.  I  saw  that 
their  work  was  hard ;  but  I  would  make  it  as  easy 
as  possible.  The  work  was  there,  and  they  were 
put  there  to  do  it.  The  more  willingly  they  under- 


SECOND  DAY  IN  PRISON.  33 

took  it,  the  easier  it  would  go  off.     If  they  tried  to 
help  themselves,  I  would  help  them. 

They  all  assented,  and  thus  we  made  a  compact 
to  be  kind  to  each  other. 


34  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 


IV. 

A    QUARREL,   AND    DISCIPLINE. 

IT  was  my  third  morning  in  prison.  I  stood  be 
side  the  mush  boiler  with  Annie  O'Brien,  who  had 
been  scraping  it,  and  was  wiping  it  out  with  a  dry 
cloth. 

McMullins  came  along,  and  demanded  the  cloth 
from  her.  An  altercation  ensued.  I  hushed  the 
noise,  and  asked,  — 

"  To  whom  does  the  cloth  belong  ?  " 

"  It  is  my  dish-cloth,"  said  McMullins. 

"  You  might  let  me  have  it  a  moment  just  to  wipe 
this  out ! " 

"  I  want  it  meself,  I'm  in  hurry  for  it." 

"  Where  is  yours  ?  "  I  asked  O'Brien. 

"  I  don't  know,  ma'am.  I  left  it  on  the  boiler,  and 
some  one  has  taken  it." 

She  still  kept  on  using  McMullins'. 

"  I  want  my  dish-cloth  ;  I'm  in  hurry,"  said  Mc 
Mullins,  impatiently. 

"  Give  her  the  dish-cloth,  and  go  find  your  own  !  " 
I  said. 

Annie  O'Brien's  temper  was  like  a  lucifer  match. 


A    QUARREL,  AND  DISCIPLINE.  35 

At  the  command  she  threw  the  cloth  in  McMullins's 
face. 

Quick  as  a  cat  would  spring  upon  a  mouse,  Mc- 
Mullins  was  upon  her  ;  and  the  report  of  the  slaps 
that  fell  quick,  and  followed  each  other  fast  on  the 
side  of  O'Brien's  face,  sounded  through  the  room. 

It  was  in  vain  that  I  called  upon  them  to  stop. 
O'Brien  was  enraged.  She  caught  up  an  iron  rod 
that  lay  upon  the  window  seat,  and  struck  McMul- 
lins  a  blow  upon  her  forehead  that  brought  blood. 

I  called  the  other  women  to  the  spot,  and  they 
were  soon  parted. 

I  sent  McMullins  out  of  the  room,  took  O'Brien, 
who  was  white  with  anger,  by  the  arm,  and  led  her 
to  a  seat. 

"  Sit  down !  " 

She  looked  defiance  for  a  moment ;  then,  did  as  I 
commanded  her. 

h  What  kind  of  behavior  is  this,  Annie  O'Brien  ?" 
I  asked,  sternly. 

"She  slapped  me  in  the  face  —  slapped  in  the 
face  by  that  low  hussy  !  " 

The  thought  added  fuel  to  her  rage,  and  she 
started  up  again  as  though  to  pursue  her. 

"  Be  quiet !  " 

She  sat  down  again.     I  stood  silent  by  her. 

"  She  slapped  me  in  the  face  ;  by ,  I  will  not 

bear  it !  " 

She  darted  past  me,  and  caught  up  a  carving- 
knife  that  lay  on  the  table. 


36  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  She  slapped  me  in  the  face ;  and,  by ,  I  will 

have  her  heart's  blood ! " 

My  heart  sickened  at  the  disgusting  scene ;  but 
my  duty  was  before  me. 

"  Stop  her,  and  take  the  knife  away  !  "  I  shouted 
to  the  women  at  the  other  end  of  the  room. 

In  a  moment  the  knife  was  taken  from  her,  and 
both  of  her  hands  were  confined  by  four  of  the 
women. 

"  Annie  O'Brien,  come  here  ! "  I  called. 

She  looked  at  me,  but  did  not  stir. 

I  called  again,  "Annie  O'Brien,  come  here!" 

She  said  to  the  women  that  held  her,  "  Let  me 
go !  I  will  go  to  her,"  and  she  started  towards  me. 

I  laid  my  hand  on  her  pale,  cold  cheek. 

"  O'Brien,  are  you  not  ashamed  to  get  so  angry 
with  that  poor,  foolish,  half-crazed  Mullins  ?  " 

"  Wouldn't  it  make  your  blood  boil  to  have  any 
one  slap  you  in  the  face  ?  " 

"  Undoubtedly  it  would  rouse  my  temper  for  the 
moment.  It  is  a  very  mean  and  wrong  thing  to 
strike  ;  but  you  have  behaved  no  better." 

"  I  was  a  fool ;  but  I  could  not  help  it." 

"  Yes,  you  could.  Will  you  behave  yourself  now  ?  " 

"  I  will  do  nothing  more,"  and  she  heaved  a  deep 
sigh. 

"  If  you  have  really  come  to  your  senses,  go  about 
your  work ! " 

She  returned  to  her  work  ;  but  in  a  moment  she 
called  to  me,  — 


A    QUARREL,  AND  DISCIPLINE.  37 

"  You  must  report  me  ! " 

"  Yes,  in  my  own  time." 

"  You  must  report  me  now ;  I  must  be  punished. 
They  will  blame  you  if  you  put  it  off." 

"  Would  you  care  if  they  blamed  me,  Annie  "  ? 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  I  should.  It  is  bad  enough  for 
me  to  behave  so  without  making  you  any  more 
trouble." 

"  I  wish  to  see  you  entirely  over  your  frenzy,  per 
fectly  quiet,  before  I  call  the  Deputy." 

"  I  am  perfectly  quiet,"  and  she  went  about  mak 
ing  her  mush. 

"  Annie,  if  you  will  promise  me  to  try  to  control 
your  temper  in  future,  I  will  try  to  get  your  punish 
ment  made  as  light  as  possible." 

"  I  will  try  to  do  anything  you  want  me  to  ;  but 
they  will  put  it  on  to  me  hard,  I've  been  punished 
so  many  times  before." 

I  saw  that  I  had  possession  of  her  so  far  as  she 
*had  control  of  herself. 

"  Keep  about  your  work  as  though  nothing  had 
happened ! " 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

I  went  to  the  door,  blew  my  whistle,  and  sent  for 
the  Deputy.  I  waited  in  the  entry  for  him,  and 
stated  the  case  before  he  went  in  to  punish  the  wo 
men. 

"  McMullins  gave  the  first  blow ;  you  know  she 
is  a  poor,  foolish  thing ;  she  has  fits.  You  won't 
punish  her  this  time,  will  you  ?  She  slapped  O'Brien 


38  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

• 

in  the  face,  and  she  struck  back.  Won't  you  let 
them  off  this  time  ?  " 

"  I  can't.     It  won't  do." 

"  Wouldn't  it  make  you  angry,  and  wouldn't  you 
strike  back  if  any  one  struck  you  in  the  face  ?  " 

"  Probably  I  should." 

"  You  won't  punish  her  for  doing  what  you  would 
do  yourself?  " 

"  I  must." 

"  If  one  is  punished  both  must  be.  The  trouble 
began  in  Annie's  not  having  her  own  things  to  use. 
I  will  see  that  each  has  her  own  things  in  future,  and 
avoid  cause  of  contention  in  that  way  as  much  as 
possible.  If  McMullins  should  have  a  fit  in  her 
cell,  we  should  both  feel  bad.  Can't  you  let  them 
off  with  a  reproof  this  time  ?  " 

"  I  can't.  McMullins  must  not  count  on  the  fool's 
pardon  when  she  fights.  If  I  let  her  go  now  she 
might  fly  in  any  woman's  face  at  any  time.  They 
never  would  be  safe  from  her  slappings.  Don't  you 
think  they  ought  to  be  punished  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  with  some  kind  of  punishment." 

"  If  I  were  to  let  them  off,  it  would  be  known  all 
through  the  prison  in  two  hours,  and  there  would  be 
rebellion  in  all  quarters." 

"  Subordination  must  be  maintained.  I  wish  there 
were  a  different  way.  I  am  so  sorry  to  have  the 
poor  things  locked  up." 

"  I  am  sorry ;  but  I  have  no  other  way." 

When  he  went  into  the  kitchen,  Annie  O'Brien 


A    QUARREL,  AND  DISCIPLINE.  39 

took  off  her  apron,  and  delivered  herself  up  to  him 
without  a  word ;  but  McMullins  cried,  and  begged 
him  not  to  lock  her  in  a  black  cell. 

He  made  no  reply,  but  pointed  them  to  the  prison. 
As  he  went,  he  asked  me  to  bring  No.  1  key. 

The  black  cells  are  of  the  same  size,  and  made 
like  the  others.  The  only  difference  between  them 
is,  that  the  doors  of  the  black  cells  are  closed  from 
the  entrance  of  all  light  by  a  black  board  placed 
against  the  bars. 

They  have  no  beds  in  them,  not  a  blanket  to  lie 
upon.  Nothing  but  the  cold  stones  to  sit,  to  stand 
upon,  or  to  lean  against.  The  only  article  of  furni 
ture  allowed  in  them  is  the  night  bucket,  which  may 
be  converted  into  a  seat.  The  rations,  when  in  that 
"  durance  vile,"  is  one  quart  of  water,  and  one  thin 
slice  of  bread  during  the  twenty-four  hours. 

With  a  heavy  heart  I  saw  my  poor  women  locked 
up.  I  turned  the  key  upon  them  with  my  own  hand. 

O  this  continual  turning  of  keys !  The  bunch  in 
my  hand  all  day,  under  my  pillow  at  night. 

Click,  click,  when  I  go  out  of  the  room  ;  click, 
click,  when  I  come  in.  Will  my  ears  ever  harden 
to  the  sound  so  that  I  shall  not  notice  it ! 

It  is  a  constant  drill,  drill  to  labor  under  the  ever 
impending  punishment,  which  hangs  over  the  pris 
oner,  suspended  by  a  breath  of  complaint  by  an  offi 
cer.  Is  one  kind  of  punishment  the  only  cure  for  dis 
obedience  ?  Should  it  not  be  mitigated  by  mercy,  or 
changed  in  character  according  to  the  circumstances, 


40  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

or  the  peculiar  disposition  of  'the  offender  ?  How 
does  the  Great  Lawgiver  treat  His  convicts  ?  Does 
He  punish  all  offenders  with  the  same  unmitigated 
rigor?  His  sun  shines  alike  on  the  evil  and  the 
good.  He  reproves  often,  and  teaches,  and  suffers 
long,  and  is  kind,  and  adapts  His  punishment  to 
the  character  of  the  crime  committed. 

Some  crime  is  committed  in  willful  disobedience 
of  known  law ;  but  much  more  of  it  in  ignorance  of 
the  way  to  control  bad  tempers  —  in  ignorance  of 
the  way  to  resist  temptation. 

Teaching  is  what  these  poor  creatures  want,  and 
the  time  in  which  to  learn. 

Many  a  time  I  went  to  the  key-holes  of  those  black 
cells  to  listen  that  day.  Many  a  time  I  called,  — 

"  McMullins,  are  you  well  ?  " 

She  invariably  begged  me  to  let  her  out. 

"  I  cannot.  You  did  wrong  and  must  be  pun 
ished." 

"  She  threw  the  dish-cloth  at  me." 

"  You  struck  her." 

"  I'll  never  do  it  again,  I  am  so  tired.  Please  will 
you  get  the  Deputy  to  let  me  out." 

"  Just  as  soon  as  I  can." 

That  night  I  went  to  him,  and  begged  to  have  my 
women  let  out. 

"  You  know  McMullins  has  fits,  and  to  lie  there 
on  the  cold  stones  all  night  might  bring  them  on." 

"  You  may  put  her  in  her  own  room  to  sleep." 

"  Thank  you  !     It  is  a  favor  done  to  me  as  well  as 


A    QUARREL,  AND  DISCIPLINE.  41 

her.  I  don't  think  I  could  sleep  at  all  if  she  were 
left  lying  there.  You  will  let  O'Brien  go  to  hers  — 
it  would  be  hardly  right  to  let  one  sleep  in  her  bed, 
and  not  the  other." 

He  shook  his  head. 

"O'Brien  has  been  here  before.  I  know  more 
about  her  than  you  do." 

"  Let  me  try  her  my  way,  Mr.  Deputy  ?  " 

"  Not  to-night." 

"  In  the  morning  ?  " 

« I  will  see." 

O'Brien  was  obliged  to  make  the  cold  stones  her 
couch  that  night,  and  little  sleep  did  I  get  thinking 
of  her.  Many  a  time  did  I  say  to  myself  in  its  silent 
hours,  I  will  have  her  out  in  the  morning  if  it  is  in 
the  power  of  persuasion  to  effect  it. 

After  the  women  were  locked  up,  Annie  called  to 
me.  Her  quick  ears  had  learned,  or  some  other 
prisoner  had  told  her,  that  McMullins  was  in  her 
own  cell. 

She  asked,  — 

"  Is  it  right  to  keep  me  in  here,  and  let  McMul 
lins  sleep  in  her  bed  ?  " 

It  was  not  for  me  to  decide  the  right  or  wrong  of 
the  Deputy's  orders,  to  a  prisoner. 

"McMullins  has  fits,  and  it  would  not  be  safe 
to  leave  her  in  solitary  all  night.  I  should  not 
sleep  at  all  if  she  were  there.  I  am  sorry  for  you, 
O'Brien ;  but  you  don't  wish  McMullins  to  remain, 
in  solitary  because  you  must,  do  you  ?  " 


42  WOMAN  IN  PHI  SON. 

"  No,  ma'am ;  but  it  don't  seem  hardly  fair  to  let 
one  out,  and  not  the  other." 

She  was  using  the  same  argument  with  me  to  get 
her  bed  that  I  had  used  with  the  Deputy  to  get  it 
for  her. 

"  When  you  have  been  here  before,  and  been  pun 
ished,  you  have  behaved  very  badly,  have  you  not?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

"  Annie  O'Brien,  will  you  be  patient  to-night,  and 
make  no  complaints  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

"  In  the  morning,  when  the  Deputy  comes  around, 
will  you  tell  him  that  you  will  try  to  govern  your 
temper  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you  so." 

"Will  you  tell  him  so?" 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

"  Good  night,  Annie,  and  may  the  Christ,  whose 
name  you  called  so  wickedly  this  morning,  take  care 
of  you !  " 

"  Good  night,  ma'am  !  " 

The  next  morning,  when  I  gave  O'Brien  her  bread 
and  water,  I  asked  her, — 

u  O'Brien,  do  you  think,  if  McMullins  were  to 
strike  you  again,  you  would  strike  back  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  I  should  now,  —  I  shouldn't  if  I 
thought." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  your  behavior  yesterday  ?  " 

"  I  am  ashamed  of  myself  that  I  should  take  any 
notice  of  that  poor,  foolish,  half  crazy  thing !  But 


A    QUARREL,  AND  DISCIPLINE.  48 

I've  got  an  awful  temper,  and  it  gets  the  upper  hands 
of  me  before  I  know  it." 

"  When  the  Deputy  comes  around,  if  he  says  any 
thing  to  you,  will  you  tell  him  you  are  ashamed  of 
yourself,  and  resolved  to  do  better  ?  " 

l{  He  never  could  make  me  say  it  to  him  before." 

"He  may  not  ask  you  to  now;  if  he  does,  you 
will  be  submissive  and  perfectly  respectful  ? " 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  I  will." 

When  the  Deputy  came  in,  I  importuned  him  to 
unlock  my  women. 

"  If  I  do,  it  will  only  be  to  have  O'Brien  locked 
up  again  in  a  few  days.  She  has  been  here  twice 
before,  and  is  one  of  the  worst  cases  we  have  ever 
had." 

"  If  she  is  subdued  and  promises  to  do  better,  is 
not  that  enough  ?  " 

"  Subdued  !  "  he  echoed.  «  She  will  promise  any 
thing  to  get  out." 

"  Did  you  ever  get  a  promise  from  her  to  do  bet 
ter?" 

"I  don't  think  we  ever  did.  She  has  always 
braved  us  as  long  as  she  could  speak."  ' 

"  I  am  a  new  mistress,  my  management  may  be 
new  to  her.  Will  you  let  me  try  her,  if  you  please  ? 
She  is  such  a  young  thing,  it  seems  as  though  she 
might  be  influenced  to  reform.  You  are  punishing 
me  to  keep  her  in  that  dark  cell.  It  takes  my 
strength  all  away  to  think  of  her  there.  I  could  not 
sleep  last  night,  —  thoughts  of  her  haunted  me." 


44  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

The  tears  came  into  my  eyes.  If  he  had  refused 
me,  I  should  have  cried  outright.  He  was  a  man, 
and  one  of  kindly  feelings,  too,  when  left  to  himself. 
He  gave  me  the  order, — 

"  Bring  me  your  key  !  " 

I  brought  it  very  quickly,  and  unlocked  Annie's 
cell  with  more  alacrity  than  I  ever  turned  key  in  a 
lock  before. 

"  O'Brien,"  said  the  Deputy  to  her,  "  I  let  you  out 
because  your  Matron  asks  me  to.  Now  show  your 
gratitude  by  your  good  behavior,  and  obedience  to 
her." 

"  I  will  try,  sir." 

"  Unlock  the  other  one  when  you  please,"  he  said 
to  me,  and  went  out. 

O'Brien  turned  to  me. 

"  I  will  never  give  you  occasion  to  have  me  locked 
up  again,  while  T  am  here.  I  never  made  the  prom 
ise  before,  but  I  make  it  now.  I  have  been  in  soli 
tary  ten  days  and  ten  nights ;  I  have  been  carried 
from  there  to  the  hospital,  fainted  away  dead,  and  my 
feet  so  swelled  that  I  could  not  walk  on  them.  I 
have  been  gagged  till  my  jaws  were  so  stiff  and 
swelled  that  I  could  not  shut  my  mouth.  I  have 
been  in  the  dungeon  in  the  cellar  "  — 

"  Stop,  Annie  !  in  the  name  of  pity,  stop  !  " 

I  was  sick  to  loathing  of  the  cruelty  she  recounted. 
Was  I  in  one  of  the  prisons  of  the  Inquisition,  hear 
ing  a  description  of  their  tortures  ?  " 

u  It  is  the  truth.  And  I  never  made  a  promise  tc 
do  any  better  before." 


A    QUARREL,  AND  DISCIPLINE.  45 

I  trembled  with  disgust,  almost  fear,  of  the  place 
I  was  in.  I  bethought  me,  I  am  here  Lo  benefit  these 
poor  wretches.  I  held  my  breath  as  I  asked, — 

"  What  was  all  that  done  for  ?  " 

"  Because  I  sauced  a  matron,  and  wouldn't  say  I 
was  sorry." 

«  Did  you  say  it  at  last  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am !  I  wouldn't  have  said  it  if  they  had 
killed  me.  I  was  so  mad  I  had  just  as  soon  died  as 
not.  The  more  they  did  to  me,  the  madder  I  grew, 
and  I  swore,  if  ever  I  should  catch  her  outside,  1 
would  pay  her  back,  if  I  got  in  here  for  life." 

"Annie  O'Brien,  if  you  were  to  sauce  me,  as  you 
call  it,  I  should  punish  you."  I  did  not  say  how.  •'  I 
expect  you  to  treat  me  with  respect  always.  It  is 
not  treating  me  with  respect  to  quarrel  with  the  other 
women  in  my  presence." 

"  I  shall  always  treat  you  with  respect.  I  could 
never  be  mean  enough  to  do  anything  else  after  the 
way  you  have  treated  me." 

She  fulfilled  her  promise.  Never  yet  have  I  met 
a  human  being  that  kindness  would  not  influence ; 
but  I  have  met  with  many  a  perverse  will  that  harsh 
ness  would  neither  bend  or  break. 

"  Now,  Annie,  you  say  that  you  wish  to  govern  your 
temper,  and  that  you  will  try  ?  " 

"  I  will  try  !  " 

"  I  will  help  you.  When  you  begin  to  grow  angry, 
shut  your  lips  close  together ;  then,  look  for  me  be 
fore  you  answer." 


46  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

u  I  will,  if  I  can  think." 

"  As  soon  as  you  do  think,  come  straight  to  me, 
and  tell  me  that  you  were  getting  angry.  If  I  see 
you,  and  can  catch  your  eye,  I  will  lift  my  finger  in 
warning ;  or  I  will  call  your  name.  Will  you  heed 
me?" 

"  I  will  try,  with  all  my  might." 

"  Go  get  your  breakfast,  and  then  go  about  your 
work." 

Many  a  time  after  that,  when  I  saw  her  face  grow 
ing  pale  with  anger,  I  have  called  her  name,  and 
lifted  my  finger.  She  would  recognize  the  signal, 
drop  upon  a  bench,  or  the  bare  brick  floor,  bury  her 
face  in  her  hands  for  a  few  moments,  then  arise  and 
go  about  her  work  without  speaking  a  word. 

Once,  about  a  week  after  that  locking  up,  she  got 
into  an  altercation  with  the  slide  woman.  I  was  in 
the  prison ;  but  I  heard  her  voice,  and  ran  to  the 
kitchen  door. 

"  Annie  ! "  I  called.  She  did  not  heed  me,  but  went 
on  with  her  dispute.  "  Annie,  remember  !  "  I  whis 
pered  in  her  ear  as  I  caught  her  arm. 

She  jerked  it  away  from  me.  I  looked  her  stead 
ily  in  the  eye.  She  dropped  hers.  She  was  waver 
ing  between  the  disposition  to  obey,  and  the  desire 
to  indulge  her  temper. 

"  There  is  the  Dr.'s  whistle,  Annie.  Run  to  the 
wash-room,  and  tell  Mrs.  Martin  he  is  coming  ! " 

She  ran  out  quickly  ;  but  when  she  came  back, 
she  walked  slowly,  looking  down  to  her  feet.  She 
came  up  to  me  and  asked  :  — 


A  QUARREL,  AND  DISCIPLINE.  47 

"Why  didn't  you  get  me  punished?  I  almost 
broke  my  promise ;  but  I  didn't  mean  to.  If  you 
had  scolded  me,  I  certainly  should." 

"  I  did  not  get  you  punished,  because  I  see  that 
you  are  trying  to  govern  your  temper,  and  I  prom 
ised  to  help  you.  If  I  were  to  get  angry  and  scold, 
of  what  use  would  it  be  for  me  to  reprove  you  ?  " 

"  If  you  had  scolded  me  then,  I  should  certainly 
have  sauced  you,  and  then  I  should  have  been  pun 
ished.  Didn't  you  send  me  away  on  purpose  ?  " 

"  If  I  did,  it  was  better  than  scoldino-." 

& 

« I  thought  so ;  and  this  shall  be  the  last  time  I 
will  be  so  foolish." 

"  I  hope  so ;  but  if  I  am  obliged  to  hold  up  my 
finger  a  great  many  more  times,  I  shall  not  be  disap 
pointed." 


48  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 


V. 

THE  SUPERVISOR,  AND  THE  RULES. 

As  my  orders  conflicted,  and  my  work  bothered 
me,  I  made  another  effort  to  find  a  head  manager,  or 
some  printed  regulations. 

When  the  Deputy  came  in,  on  his  morning  rounds, 
I  asked  him,  — 

"  Is  the  Master's  wife  Head  Matron  here  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Then  why  does  she  not  come  and  teach  me  to 
manage  my  department,  and  see  that  I  do  my  duty  ? 
I  go  to  you,  and  you  tell  me  the  other  matrons  know. 
I  go  to  them,  and  they  tell  me  so  many  conflicting 
things  that  I  am  bothered  more  than  helped.  Then 
if  I  ask  some  of  them  one  thing,  they  wish  to  man 
age  the  whole,  and  come  in,  and  give  orders  that  pro 
duce  such  an  effect  that  I  am  obliged  to  give  others 
to  countermand  them.  They  give  them  in  such  a 
way,  too,  that  my  women  are  all  stirred  up,  and  it 
takes  me  a  long  time  to  get  them  settled  down  again. 
This  morning,  one  of  them  told  Mrs.  Martin  that  she 
needn't  come  in  here  putting  on  airs,  and  giving  off 
orders,  when  she  was  no  better  than  the  rest  of  them. 
I  pretended  not  to  hear  it,  for  I  really  thought  she 


THE  SUPERVISOR,  AND   THE  RULES.          49 

provoked  the  answer.  If  there  is  a  Head  Matron, 
she  ought  to  come  to  my  rescue." 

"  The  Master's  wife  is  Supervisor,"  said  the  good- 
natured  fellow,  after  thinking  a  few  moments.  He 
was  anxious  to  make  it  right  on  her  part. 

Superfudge !  I  thought  to  myself.     I  said,  — 

"  I  wish  she  would  supervise  my  place  into  order. 
Have  you  any  printed  directions  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  don't  think  they  would  do  you  much 
good,  but  I  will  bring  them  to  you." 

He  did  not  offer  to  bring  the  Supervisor  to  me,  or 
to  take  me  to  her.  As  I  got  acquainted  with  the 
affairs  of  the  institution,  I  found  that  she  was  em 
phatically  super  to  all  of  them  except  her  own 
housekeeping.  She  had  brilliancy  enough  to  look 
after  that,  and  see  that  it  was  done  well.  She  had 
the  ability,  and  she  exercised  it,  to  come  or  send 
down  when  her  parlor,  which  was  directly  over  the 
prisoners'  kitchen,  was  too  cold,  to  have  the  furnace 
door  shut,  or  if  it  was  too  warm,  to  have  it  opened. 

About  a  week  after  I  went  there  she  came  in, 
probably  my  repeated  inquiries  had  been  reported  to 
her,  and  gave  me  an  order  to  have  a  room  cleaned 
in  the  attic  of  the  prison.  It  was  one  morning  when 
we  were  in  the  midst  of  house-cleaning  with  a  gang 
of  men  whitewashing  in  the  prison. 

I  told  her  I  didn't  think  it  possible  to  attend  to  it 
that  day. 

"  I  will  show  it  to  you  now,  because  I  have  time." 

I  really  had  not  time  to  look  at  it,  as  any  one  of 


50  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

common  powers  of  observation  would  have  seen ; 
but,  as  she  was  my  superior  officer,  I  followed  her 
without  farther  remark. 

As  she  passed  through  the  prison,  and  saw  the 
men  at  work,  she  gave  me  another  illustration  of  her 
luminous  capacity  by  remarking,  — 

"  You  must  be  careful  and  not  let  your  women  get 
with  the  men." 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

She  took  me  up  the  sixth  flight  of  stairs  into  the 
roof  of  the  prison,  into  a  room  where  the  receiving 
officer  packs  away  the  clothing  that  he  takes  off  the 
convicts  when  they  come  into  the  prison.  After 
showing  me  the  dust  on  the  floor,  and  cobwebs  on 
the  walls,  she  said,  — 

"  You  had  better  send  one  of  your  women  up  to 
clean  it.  I  always  begin  at  the  top  when  I  clean 
house." 

u  I  don't  see  how  I  can  spare  one  to-day.  If  the 
Deputy  will  send  me  in  one  to  do  it,  I  will  do  my 
best  to  oversee  it.  But  you  see  how  inconvenient 
that  will  be,  it  is  so  far  up  here,  and  there  is  so  much 
going  on  in  the  kitchen." 

"  It  won't  be  much  to  clean  this." 

I  thought,  but  did  not  say  it,  it  might  appear  dif 
ferently  to  you  if  you  were  to  do  it.  I  should  con 
sider  it  a  good  day's  work  for  two  strong  women. 

I  looked  round  with  her,  and  listened  to  her  sug 
gestions. 

"  What  I  wanted  to  call  your  attention  to,  particu- 


THE  SUPERVISOR,  AND    THE  RULES.  51 

larly,  was  this  box  of  old  clothes.  I  think  it  must 
have  been  here  two  or  three  years." 

I  wondered  if  it  had  been  two  or  three  years  since 
she  had  been  in  that  room. 

"  They  are  cloth  caps,"  she  went  on,  "  there  may 
be  an  old  coat  or  pair  of  pants  among  them.  I  don't 
think  they  will  be  of  any  use,  —  they  might  as  well 
be  sold,  and  the  pay  go  towards  the  support  of  the 
institution." 

I  looked  into  the  box.  There  might  have  been 
twenty  pounds  of  woolen  rags,  originally  ;  but  they 
were  nearly  chowdered  into  dust  by  moths. 

I  saw  by  that  one  interview  the  occasion  of  the 
reticence  of  the  Deputy,  with  regard  to  the  Head 
Matron. 

The  first  moment  of  leisure  I  got,  that  afternoon, 
I  examined  the  printed  "  Rules  and  Regulations,"  by 
the  Board  of  Directors,  which  the  Deputy  had 
brought  me.  They  were  printed  eight  or  ten  years 
before,  but  sensible  and  humane  so  far  as  they  went. 

There  were  no  directions  to  regulate  the  details  of 
duty  ;  but  all  of  the  Master's  orders  were  subject  to 
the  approval  of  the  Board.  I  did  not  see  how  it 
could  be  possible  to  carry  that  article  out,  practically, 
when  many  of  them  were  changed  almost  every  clay. 

One  order  that  I  noticed  gave  me  great  satisfac 
tion,  and  had  it  been  observed,  would  have  created 
a  very  different  state  of  things  in  the  prison  from 
what  then  obtained.  It  was,  that  "  no  irritating  lan 
guage  "  should  be  used  to  the  prisoners.  Had  that 


52  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

rule  been  observed,  there  would  have  been  compar 
atively  few  "  in  solitary,"  to  the  number  which  came 
under  my  observation. 

I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  if  the  rules  which 
governed  the  institution  had  been  subjected  to  the 
approval  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  that  august  body 
must  entertain  a  very  imperfect  idea  of  their  practical 
working. 

One  of  my  orders  was  to  stand  at.  the  ration  table, 
in  the  kitchen,  while  the  meals  were  passed  out. 
Another  was  to  be  in  the  prison,  at  the  same  time, 
on  duty,  which  shut  me  out  of  the  kitchen  entirely. 

The  trouble  that  arose  from  the  conflicting  orders 
was  this.  After  I  left  the  kitchen,  the  food  for  the 
meals  was  under  the  control  of  the  prisoners,  and 
they  secreted  what  part  of  it  they  pleased  for  them 
selves  and  their  favorites. 

Before  I  left  the  kitchen  I  saw  the  meat  sliced, 
and  an  equal  portion  placed  in  each  pan.  After  I 
left,  and  there  was  no  one  to  watch  it,  the  women 
abstracted  a  part  of  it  from  some  of  the  pans,  or 
changed  it  from  one  pan  to  another. 

I  was  allowed  about  two  hundred  and  eighty 
pounds  of  meat  for  the  four  hundred  prisoners,  bones 
included.  After  this  was  sliced,  it  was  divided  tc 
each  pan  as  nearly  equally  alike  as  possible.  To  this 
was  added  three  or  four  potatoes,  with  the  skins  on, 
and  the  gravy  or  soup  was  then  poured  over  them. 

These  pans  were  arranged  in  rows  across  the  ra 
tion  table,  to  be  passed  out,  through  a  slide,  to  the 


THE  SUPERVISOR,  AND   THE  RULES.          53 

men,  as  they  were  marched  into  prison,  on  their  side  ; 
and  to  the  women,  on  their  side.  The  kitchen  was 
between  the  prisons. 

After  the  pans  were  arranged  on  the  table,  and 
the  dinners  put  into  them,  I  was  obliged  to  go  out 
into  the  prison  to  receive  the  women,  and  see  them 
slid  into  their  cells.  The  slide  door  was  shut  upon 
me,  and  the  convicts  were  left  alone  with  the  food  to 
hand  it  out. 

Was  it  strange,  with  this  opportunity  placed  in 
their  way,  that  they  should  help  themselves  to  the 
meat  which  had  been  divided  to  the  others  ? 

My  order  was  to  detect  the  thief  and  report  her. 
That  was  much  easier  said  than  done.  My  opinion 
was  that  they  all  took  it. 

It  was  a  question  strongly  debated  in  my  mind, 
who  was  most  at  fault,  those  poor,  half-starved  things, 
for  taking  the  meat  when  the  opportunity  was  given 
them,  or  those  who  put  the  temptation  in  their  way  ? 

I  did  not  decide  it  in  season  to  have  any  of  them 
punished  for  breaking  the  rule. 

When  the  convicts  got  angry,  with  each  other,  they 
would  report  on  the  one  they  were  offended  with ; 
but  it  was  an  established  rule  that  the  testimony  of 
one  prisoner  was  not  to  be  taken  against  another,  and 
I  had  not  the  least  inclination  to  break  the  rule. 

I  did  discover  one  of  the  thieves  at  last ;  but  I 
took  my  own  way  to  punish  her. 

The  steam  woman  got  angry  with  one  of  the  slide 
women,  and  reported  her  to  me  one  day  when  the 
dinner  came  short. 


54  WOMAN  IN  PHIS  OX. 

"  Never  mind  now,  Allen ;  but  the  next  time  you 
see  her  take  it,  tell  me  where  she  hides  the  meat.  I 
will  go  find  it ;  and  then,  she  can't  turn  it  on  you  for 
betraying  her." 

A  day  or  two  afterwards,  Allen  whispered  to  me,  — 

"  You  look  on  the  top  of  the  bread  closet  in  the 
cellar,  and  yOu  will  find  something." 

I  went  down,  mounted  some  false  steps,  and  found 
a  quart  filled  with  slices  of  meat.  I  took  it  up  into 
the  kitchen,  and  asked, — 

"  "Who  hid  this  meat  away  on  the  top  of  the  bread 
cupboard  in  the  cellar  ?  " 

Not  one  of  them  answered. 

*'  Will  the  one  who  did  it  be  honest  enough  to  own 
it ;  or  will  she  be  mean  enough  to  let  me  lay  the 
blame  on  some  one  else?  Did  you  do  it,  Annie 
O'Brien  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  who  did  it  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  ma'am." 

"  Allen,  did  you  do  it  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am." 

I  did  not  wish  to  ask  her  who  did  it,  because  she 
had  told  me. 

"  I  am  going  to  ask  you  all,  and  I  hope  no  one  will 
be  mean  enough  to  lie  about  it." 

"  I  put  it  there,"  said  O'Sullivan. 

"  Who  did  you  put  it  away  for  ?  " 

"  For  myself,  because  I  don't  like  peas." 

"  Very  well,  O'Sullivan ;  but  you  were  rather  too 


THE  SUPERVISOR,  AND   THE  RULES.          55 

generous  to  yourself.  Half  of  that  would  have  been 
enough  for  your  dinner,  and  to  punish  you  for  being 
so  selfish,  you  can't  have  any  of  it.  I  shall  give  it 
to  the  others.  Your  hiding  it  away  down  there, 
gave  it  very  much  the  appearance  of  stealing.  In 
future,  when  you  wish  to  put  anything  away,  show 
it  to  me,  and  then,  put  it  away  like  an  honest  woman. 
But  you  are  never  to  put  anything  away  unless  it  is 
left  over,  after  I  have  divided  the  meat.  It  would 
be  very  mean  to  take  a  double  portion  for  yourself, 
and  make  the  poor  fellows,  on  the  other  side  go 
without." 

I  had  been  studying  the  Rules  and  Regulations  of 
the  Board,  and  discovered  that  I  was  to  admonish 
once,  before  reporting  for  punishment.  I  did  not 
propose  to  transcend  that  rule. 

"  Now,  remember,  there  is  nothing  more  to  be  hid 
away  from  me." 

"  There  isn't  much  danger,  as  long  as  you  let  us 
tell  you  all  about  it." 

"  I  shall  always  let  you  tell  me,  before  I  get  you 
punished  ;  but  you  must  always  obey,  and  then  there 
will  be  no  punishment." 

"  I  suppose  it  is  only  right  that  we  should  eat  our 
share  of  peas  with  the  rest,  for  they  can't  get  even 
bread  and  coffee  as  we  can." 

"  It  is  certainly  wrong  -for  you  to  take  another 
prisoner's  meat ;  and  very  mean,  because,  as  you  say, 
he  has  not  the  chance  you  have  to  get  anything  else. 
Now,  girls,  will  you  promise  not  to  hide  things  away,, 
and  try  to  cheat  me  any  more  ?  " 


56  WOMAN  IN  Pit  IS  ON. 

"  I  will,  I  will,"  was  responded  by  the  six.  I  did 
not  expect  them  to  do  it  without  a  great  many  more 
"  admonishings." 

"  Now,  girls,  be  on  your  guard,  so  that  the  temp 
tation  does  not  become  too  strong  for  you." 

When  the  Deputy  came  in,  I  asked  him  whether 
the  order  for  me  to  stand  at  the  ration  table  in  the 
kitchen,  at  meal  time,  had  been  approved  by  the 
Board. 

"  Of  course  it  has." 

"  Has  the  order  for  me  to  be  on  duty  in  the  prison 
at  meal  time,  been  approved  by  the  Board  ?  " 

«  Certainly ! " 

"  You  consider  them  a  very  intelligent  body  of 
men,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  —  they  are  my  superior  officers." 

"  How  can  they  expect  me  to  be  in  two  different 
places  at  the  same  time  ?  " 

"  I  really  don't  know  much  about  the  arrangements 
on  the  women's  side  at  meal  times.  My  station  is  in 
the  men's  prison  at  that  time." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  it  is  the  place  of  our  head  officer 
to  be  stationed  on  this  side,  in  the  women's  prison, 
at  that  time,  and  it  is  my  place  to  be  in  the  kitchen 
at  meal  time,  to  see  that  the  meals  go  out  properly, 
and  that  none  of  them  are  turned  from  the  right 
channel." 

The  next  day  afforded  him  an  illustration  of  what 
I  said.  The  dinner  fell  short.  He  entered  the 
kitchen  at  one  door  as  I  went  in  at  another.  He 


THE  SUPERVISOR,  AND    THE  RULES.          57 


came  hurrying  up  to  me,  and  asked  —  "  Why  is 
this?" 

"  I  don't  know,  sir  !  It  was  all  right  when  I  left 
the  kitchen.  Since  that,  I  have  no  means  of  know 
ing  what  has  been  going  on.  I  have  been  shut  out 
in  the  prison,  on  duty." 

He  ordered  in  bread  to  supply  the  deficiency.  In 
that  case  it  was  the  mismanagement  of  the  hash,  by 
a  new  hand,  when  "  dished  out,"  which  would  have 
been  prevented  had  I  been  there  to  oversee  it. 


58  WOMAN  IN  PMISON. 


VI 

FIRST   NIGHT   ALONE   IN   PRISON. 

THE  four  Matrons  took  the  evening  watch,  alone 
in  prison,  in  rotation.  It  was  a  rule  that  one  of  them 
was  to  be  always  there,  when  the  prisoners  were  in. 
They  were  not  to  be  left  by  themselves  a  moment. 

The  one  who  had  charge  was  to  be  alone ;  the 
other  three  were  at  liberty,  one  to  go  about  the  build 
ings  or  grounds,  two  to  go  out  of  the  prison  confines, 
if  they  liked.  It  was  my  turn  to  be  alone  in  prison. 

Immediately  after  they  had  been  locked  into  their 
cells,  and  the  other  Matrons  had  left,  Haggerton  be 
gan  to  complain  of  her  coffee. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  your  coffee  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  It  is  cold,"  she  replied. 

"  I  am  sorry  ;  but  I  can't  help  it  now." 

Upon  that  she  began  to  fret.  "  I  haven't  eaten  any 
breakfast,  nor  any  dinner,  and  I've  worked  hard  all 
day,  and  staid  an  hour  later,"  —  some  of  them  had 
staid  till  eight  o'clock  that  night  in  the  shop  —  "  and 
now  I  can't  eat  any  supper  because  my  coffee  is  cold. 
I'll  tell  the  Master,  and  he'll  make  an  awful  fuss." 

Of  .course  I  could  not  allow  such  talk  as  that,  and 
I  told  her  to  stop. 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  59 

"  I  have  done  the  best  for  you  that  I  could.  You 
had  the  same  chance  to  eat  that  the  rest  had,  and  the 
same  breakfast  and  dinner  provided  for  you.  I  am 
not  allowed  to  provide  anything  else.  If  you  haven't 
eaten,  it  is  your  own  fault." 

"  I  can't  eat  brown  bread,  and  I  can't  eat  soup,  nor 
I  can't  drink  cold  coffee.  The  Master  will  be  awful 
mad,  and  make  an  awful  fuss,  for  me  to  have  cold 
coffee." 

"  Not  another  word,  Haggerton  !  If  you  don't  like 
the  fare,  you  ought  not  to  take  board  here,"  I  said.  I 
thought,  if  the  Master  would  feel  so  bad  that  your 
coffee  is  cold,  why  don't  his  compassion  lead  him  to 
provide  something  that  you  can  eat. 

Upon  that  she  went  on  to  cry  and  sob,  and  make 
a  great  disturbance  in-  the  prison. 

I  told  her  she  must  stop  ;  but  she  kept  on.  I  had 
not  the  heart  to  scold  and  threaten  the  girl.  I  had 
no  doubt  that  she  was  tired  and  hungry,  and  I  pitied 
her.  I  went  for  the  Deputy,  to  see  what  I  should  do. 
He  was  out.  I  stepped  into  the  officers'  dining-room 
to  find  some  one  to  direct  me. 

Mrs.  Hardback,  the  Shop  Matron,  was  eating  her 
supper.  The  Supervisor  sat  there,  talking  with  her. 
I  stated  the  case  to  her.  Before  I  had  got  half 
through  with  it,  she  motioned  me  away,  and  ex 
claimed,  in  great  agitation,  — 

O  O 

"  You  mustn't  leave  the  prison  alone  a  moment ! 
You  mustn't  leave  the  prison  alone  a  moment !  " 

Mrs.  Hardback  rushed  past  me  as  though  every 
prisoner  had  got  loose,  and  was  running  away. 


GO  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

I  thought  they  would  probably  be  safe  if  she 
arrived  without  accident,  and  followed  at  my  usual 
gait. 

When  I  entered  the  prison  she  was  leaving  Hag- 
gerton's  cell  door,  and  from  the  second  division  sa 
luted  me  with,  — * 

"  It's  no  wonder  the  girl  cries  !  her  coffee  is  cold ! 
I  went  to  the  kettle  and  tasted  it  myself!  She  hasn't 
eaten  a  mouthful  to-day ;  and  now,  to  have  cold  cof 
fee  given  her  for  her  supper,  it's  too  bad !  The 
Master  shall  know  it,  and  he'll  make  an  awful  fuss." 

I  made  no  reply  to  her ;  but  the  next  morning,  I 
had  several  questions  to  ask  the  Deputy. 

"  It  is  a  rule,  is  it,  that  the  prisoners  are  not  to  be 
left  alone  a  moment  at  night,  after  they  are  locked 
in?" 

«  Yes." 

"  Then  how  am  I  to  leave  the  prison,  go  across  the 
kitchen,  and  pass  out  my  keys  ?  Sometimes  it  will 
be  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  before  I  can  make  the 
prison  officer  hear  my  rap." 

"  Of  course  you  must  do  that." 

"  Then  I  must  leave  the  prison  alone.  Have  the 
Board  of  Directors  approved  both  those  rules  ?  " 

He  smiled. 

"  The  reason  why  I  asked  was,  because  the  Super 
visor  and  Shop  Matron  thought  I  had  committed  a 
great  violation  of  the  rules,  to  leave  the  prison  a 
moment  to  find  you,  to  ask  you  a  question,  when  I 
was  in  difficulty  last  night." 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  61 

"  Did  you  have  any  difficulty  last  night  ?  " 

I  told  him  the  story  of  Haggerton,  and  Mrs.  Hard- 
hack's  management  in  the  case. 

"  You  can  judge  that  such  conduct  is  calculated 
to  produce  disorder,  and  it  did.  It  was  nearly  half 
an  hour  before  I  got  the  women  quiet  again." 

"  Mrs.  Hardhack  has  been  here  many  years  —  she 
ought  to  know  better  than  to  behave  in  that  way.  If 
she  don't,  I  can  teach  her." 

I  did  not  tell  him  what  followed.  I  had  been 
studying  the  "  Rules  and  Regulations"  of  the  Board 
of  Directors,  for  myself,  and  intended  to  abide  by 
them.  I  remarked  carelessly,  — 

"  The  Board  direct  that  the  convicts  shall  work 
from  sunrise  to  sunset.  They  were  worked  an  hour 
later  last  night." 

"  They  had  some  contract  work  that  they  wanted 
to  finish." 

"  The  order  of  the  Board  is  to  work  from  sunrise 
to  sunset.  There  is  no  provision  made  for  finishing 
contract  work.  The  order  to  work  over  hours  was 
submitted  to  the  Board  for  approval  last  night,  was  it 
not  ?  " 

"  You  are  sharp.  I  see  you  wish  to  do  your  own 
duty,  and  you  wish  others  to  do  the  same." 

"  Yes,  I  like  to  do  my  duty  if  I  can  find  out  what 
it  is.  In  this  particular  case,  I  am  indifferent  whether 
others  do  theirs  or  not.  But,  if  I  find  them  follow 
ing  me  up  to  make  me  perform  mine  accurately,  when 
they  are  involved  in  the  same,  it  is  perfectly  natural 


62  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

for  me  to  turn  and  observe  their  manner  of  doing 
theirs." 

"  I  am  trying  to  do  mine." 

"  I  see  that  you  are,  and  I  am  glad  that  you  have 
a  better  opportunity  to  find  out  what  it  is,  than  I  do." 

The  moment  that  Mrs.  Hardhack  was  out  of  the 
prison,  that  night,  the  convicts  commenced  hooting 
and  whistling.  If  she  did  not  put  Haggerton  up, 
directly,  to  play  off  on  me,  which  I  strongly  suspected, 
her  behavior  was  calculated  to  encourage  their  con 
duct. 

I  was  a  new  Matron,  this  was  my  first  night  alone, 
and  they  would  try  me,  to  see  what  stuff  I  was  made 
of. 

If  Mrs.  Hardhack  had  instigated  their  conduct,  the 
punishment  would  come  upon  them,  not  her.  It  was 
my  business  to  suppress  the  noise,  and  to  detect  those 
who  were  engaged  in  making  it. 

I  drew  my  feet  from  my  slippers,  and  commenced 
my  search  for  the  culprits. 

It  was  made  a  short  one  by  the  assistance  of  one 
of  the  sweeps  who  hated  Mrs.  Hardhack,  and  would 
do  anything  to  thwart  her  —  even  betray  a  fellow- 
prisoner. 

She  pointed  me  to  one  of  the  doors  from  whence 
the  whistling  came.  I  crept  softly  along,  in  the 
shade,  and  stood  by  the  next  door  a  moment.  The 
girl,  unconscious  that  I  was  near,  gave  another  shrill 
call. 

"  That  is  you,  is  it,  Kate  Connolly  ?  "  I  said,  close 
to  her  ear. 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  63 

She  burst  into  tears  at  the  sound  of  my  voice. 
Her  imagination  at  once  brought  before  her  the  long 
aching  induced  by  solitary  confinement.  It  was  far 
from  an  agreeable  prospect  to  look  forward  to. 

"  I'm  sorry !  indeed  I  am  !  " 

"  Sorry  for  what,  —  that  you  made  disturbance,  or 
that  I  found  you  out  ?  " 

"  For  both.  Indeed  I  am ;  I  knew  better  —  I 
knew  the  rules  ;  I've  been  here  ^before,  and  it'll  go 
hard  with  me." 

"  You  thought  I  was  a  stranger  and  wouldn't  know 
them,  did  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am  ;  but  I'm  sorry." 

"  I'm  sorry  for  you,  Kate,  that  you  should  be  so 
ill-disposed  as  to  make  a  noise,  purposely  to  disturb 
me  ;  and  that  you  should  be  so  mean  as  to  try  to  im 
pose  upon  a  stranger.  In  future  it  will  be  well  for 
you  to  know  who  you  are  playing  off  on  before  you 
begin.  Now,  Kate  Connolly,  remember  —  if  ever  I 
catch  you  in  another  such  a  trick,  I  shall  have  you 
punished  " ! 

"  And  you  wont  now  ?  I  thank  you  !  I  never  will 
trouble  you  so  again ! " 

I  never  had  occasion  to  reprove  her  afterwards  for 
any  bad  conduct  while  she  was  in  the  prison. 

She  thought  it  was  through  my  kindness  that  she 
escaped  punishment.  I  had  been  reading  the  "  Rules 
and  Regulations,"  which  directed  me  to  "  admonish  " 
once  ;  and  then,  report  for  punishment.  By  following 
those  Rules,  I  had  silenced  the  noise,  and  restored 


64  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

order  without  resorting  to  punishment.  I  had  also 
secured  the  future  good  behavior  of  the  girl. 

When  one  was  detected,  the  others  became  quiet. 

There  are  good  and  noble  qualities  still  existing  in 
those  prisoners,  if  the  right  management  only  be  ap 
plied  to  rouse,  and  bring  them  into  action.  The  rule 
tp  admonish  was  a  wise  one,  and  was  adopted  to  that 
end.  That  the  officers  did  not  follow  out  the  rule 
was  wherein  the  fault  lay.  And  that  they  overlooked 
it,  or  failed  to  obey  it,  caused  untold  suffering  to  the 
prisoners. 

No  instance  came  under  my  observation  where  the 
offense  was  repeated,  after  a  prisoner  had  been  ad 
monished. 

After  quiet  was  restored,  I  sat  down  to  think,  and 
rest.  I  was  tired  of  the  ceaseless  surveillance,  the 
turning  of  keys,  the  grating  of  bars,  the  driving  of  the 
prisoners  at  their  tasks,  the  compelling  to  pleasant 
manners  while  under  such  severe  exactions  of  toil. 

I  sat  thinking  it  over  and  asking  myself  if  it  would 
be  possible  for  me,  driven,  urged  to  work  with  no  al 
ternative  but  the  solitary  cell,  and  the  bread  and 
water  diet,  with  no  motive  but  fear  of  punishment,  to 
be  gentle  and  patient. 

The  exhausted  flesh  and  the  wearied  spirit  would 
express  their  agony  in  some  form  of  complaint. 
Human  nature  might  restrain  its  indignation  at  such 
a  dreary  lot  from  breaking  forth,  in  fear  of  a  greater 
punishment.  The  prisoner  might  work  on  in  silence 
till  she  fell,  and  was  carried  to  the  Hospital.  I  was 
told  that  it  had  been  so,  and  I  could  not  doubt  it. 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  65 

My  orders  verified  the  statement.  I  was  to  keep 
them  at  work.  If  they  complained  they  were  to  see 
the  Doctor,  and  he  was  to  decide  whether  they  were 
unfit  for  labor.  In  that  case  they  were  to  go  into 
the  Hospital. 

I  had  asked,  "  Shall  their  whole  task  be  exacted  of 
them  ? " 

"  Yes,  —  if  you  listen  to  their  complaints,  they 
will  all  play  sick,  and  we  shall  get  no  work  done." 

I  had  said,  "  They  might  do  something,  and  by 
not  being  driven  so  hard,  made  useful,  and  their 
health  spared." 

"  We  have  no  such  rules,"  was  the  reply. 

"  But  any  Matron,  after  she  is  acquainted  with  her 
women,  can  judge  so  that  they  will  not  impose  upon 
her  very  much." 

"  They  will  all  cheat,  and  lie,  and  shirk,  if  they 
can." 

That  might  be  so  generally ;  but  I  knew  that  I 
had  women  who  would  rather  work  reasonably  than 
be  idle,  because  time  passed  faster  when  they  were 
employed,  if  from  no  other  motive. 

If  they  would  all  lie,  and  cheat,  and  shirk,  the  dis 
cipline  that  was  applied  to  them  did  not  work  any 
reformation  in  their  characters. 

The  treatment  meted  out  to  them  was  hard,  unre 
mitting  toil,  enforced  by  harsh  words  and  punish 
ment. 

Implicit  obedience  to  arbitrary  rules  was  exacted, 
with  no  reasons  given  why  they  were  enforced,  and 


66  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

no  explanations  for  their  necessity.  The  hard  work, 
the  solitary  cell,  the  meagre  food,  the  damp  stone 
prison,  the  narrow  cells,  and  the  crawling  vermin,  all 
went  in  revision  before  me. 

Can  such  discipline  soften  the  heart,  and  turn  its 
stern  purposes  to  commit  crime  into  the  ways  of 
virtue  ?  Must  not  the  hearts  of  these  poor  things 
inevitably  grow  harder  under  such  influences,  till 
they  become  the  human  fiends  which  they  sometimes 
manifest  themselves  ? 

I  looked  along  the  whitewashed  floor.  Rats  and 
mice  were  running  fearlessly  about,  holding  gay 
revel  over  the  crumbs  that  had  been  scattered  to 
them  by  the  prisoners  in  their  rooms. 

I  looked  up  at  the  cells.  Human  faces  stared 
down  upon  me,  through  the  bars,  made  ghastly  by 
the  flickering  gas-light.  There  were  human  hearts, 
alive  with  all  human  emotions,  beating  beneath  those 
horrid  faces. 

Directly  in  front  of  me,  with  no  light,  save  one 
narrow,  stinted  ray,  which  glimmered  through  the 
key-hole,  with  no  bed  but  the  stone  floor,  no  seat  but 
the  wooden  bucket,  nothing  to  lean  against  but  the 
bare  brick  walls,  lay  a  girl  "  in  solitary." 

No  human  being  has  life  enough  to  stir  up  those 
cold  stones  to  warmth,  no  change  can  soften  them  to 
comfort.  Whichever  way  she  turns,  the  hard,  chilling 
granite  is  her  resting-place.  She  lies  there  with  no 
covering  but  her  usual  clothing,  and  that  has  been 
dealt  out  to  her  with  the  spare  hand  of  public  rigor. 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  67 

No  discretionary  mercy  has  interposed  to  provide  a 
plank  or  a  blanket  to  break  the  chill. 

Like  a  flash  the  thought  crossed  my  brain,  If  that 
were  my  child  !  It  sent  a  pang  through  my  heart 
that  stopped  and  wrung  there  till  I  gasped  for 
breath. 

I  looked  up  at  the  cells.  The  faces  that  glared 
down  upon  me  were  the  sweet  faces  of  my  own 
daughters  transformed  to  human  demons  by  the  vile 
impress  of  crime,  and  its  compeer,  punishment. 

Was  I  putting  my  hand  to  the  work  to  help  on  the 
hardening  of  human  hearts,  and  the  degradation  of 
human  beings !  I  would  flee  the  place,  and  leave 
the  work  with  the  morning  light.  I  could  not  flee 
the  thoughts.  Wretched,  wretched  employment ! 

I  was  half  frenzied.  I  started  up  and  rushed 
around  the  prison.  I  laid  my  head  against  the  iron 
bars  of  the  grated  doors.  I  leaned  against  the  cold 
stone  walls.  I  could  have  lain  down  upon  them  in 
bitter  penance  for  the  part  which  I  had  taken. 

The  eight  o'clock  bell  rung  for  inspection.  It  was 
a  relief. 

Humbly  I  took  my  lantern,  and  crept  softly  round 
to  examine  the  locks.  Many  of  the  women  were  in 
bed,  some  of  them  were  up  reading. 

One  of  the  girls  looked  up  to  me  with  a  smile,  and 
said,  —  I  wondered  that  she  could  smile  at  all,  — 

"  See  how  nicely  I  keep  the  rats  out." 

She  had  taken  off  the  cover  of  her  box,  and  braced 
it,  by  the  box,  against  the  lower  part  of  the  door. 


68  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

Every  room  is  furnished  with  a  box  which  has  a 
drawer  in  it.  This  box  serves  for  table  and  pantry. 
It  contains  a  spoon,  knife  and  fork,  salt  and  pepper 
boxes. 

"  Can't  they  jump  over  that  ?  " 

"  They  don't  try  ;  but  run  along  to  another  room. 
There  hasn't  been  one  in  here  since  I  put  it  up." 

I  sat  down  and  busied  myself  reading  till  the  nine 
o'clock  locking  came.  When  that  was  accomplished, 
I  went  up,  up,  up  the  stone  stairs  to  my  cell  in  the 
roof  of  the  prison. 

I  laid  me  down,  and  from  sheer  exhaustion  fell  into 
a  kind  of  slumber ;  but  my  short  sleep,  if  it  were 
sleep,  was  rank  with  nightmare,  or  haunted  with  the 
ghosts  of  my  abode.  No  sooner  did  I  become  uncon 
scious,  than  I  was  falling  from  my  eyrie  to  the  rocky 
floor  below,  or  was  strapped  upon  the  iron  bars  that 
held  the  prisoners'  beds.  Visions  appeared  to  my 
dream-sight  that  roused  me  with  a  start  and  scream 
to  wakefulness  again. 

Even  such  disturbed  slumber  had  hardly  got  pos 
session  of  my  faculties  when  a  volley  of  oaths  came 
rolling  through  my  door,  and  roused  me  to  distinct 
consciousness. 

I  sprang  from  my  bed,  ran  to  the  door,  and 
called,  — 

"What  is  the  matter?" 

"  That  bloody  Smith  snores  so  that  we  can't 
sleep!" 

«  Where  is  she  ?    I  will  go  down  and  wake  her.  " 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  69 

"  On  the  third  division,  south  side,  almost  to  the 
foot." 

I  put  my  feet  into  my  slippers,  wrapped  a  shawl 
around  me,  and  ran  down  to  Smith's  door. 

*'  Smith,  turn  over !  You  are  snoring  so  loud  that 
the  other  women  can't  sleep." 

"  0  !  how  you  scared  me." 

"  Do  you  know  that  you  are  snoring  so  loud  that 
the  women  can't  sleep  ?  Turn  over  on  your  side !  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

I  went  back  to  my  bed,  but  no  sooner  had  I  settled 
myself  to  sleep  than  the  clamor  of  complaint  was  re 
newed. 

"  That  bloody  Smith  is  at  her  snoring  again  !" 

Again  I  started  for  the  second  division,  south 
side. 

"  Smith  !  you  are  snoring  again  ! " 

"  I  can't  help  it,  ma'am  !  don't  have  me  punished." 

Punished !  How  the  idea  haunted  them,  even 
in  their  sleep.  "  I  know  you  can't  help  it,  only  by 
turning  over.  Turn  on  your  face,  and  try  that.  The 
women  must  sleep,  they  are  tired,  and  they  are 
obliged  to  work  to-morrow." 

"  I'll  try  not  to  snore,  ma'am  ! "  She  turned  on 
her  face  as  I  directed  her. 

At  last  I  attained  to  that  state  of  repose  which  the 
renowned  Sancho  Panza  has  so  felicitously  eulogized, 
and  successfully  immortalized;  but  my  enjoyment 
was  not  of  long  duration. 

It  was  but  a  short  distance  that  reached  into  the 


70  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

middle  of  the  dark,  dismal  night,  and  time  had 
travelled  it  when  I  slowly  awoke.  Shivers  of  terror, 
from  some  undefined  cause,  crept  over  me.  Gradu 
ally  I  came  to  a  knowledge  of  what  was  passing. 
My  hair,  which  was  thrown  loosely  over  the  pillow, 
was  moving  as  though  trodden  by  some  nocturnal 
agent  of  locomotion.  What  moved  it  ?  there  was  no 
draft  of  air  in  the  room. 

I  put  my  hand  to  the  "crowning  ornament  by 
Nature  given  "  to  my  head,  and  imprisoned  a  mam- 
mouth  mouse,  or  scarce  grown  rat. 

I  was  fast  getting  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of 
prison  life,  and  inured  to  its  peculiarities.  Un 
moved,  I  might  allow  my  hair  to  become  a  bed  for 
rats  and  mice ;  but  I  could  not  spare  the  sleep. 

I  threw  the  creature  from  me,  in  a  fret  at  being 
disturbed,  and  issued  a  peremptory  order,  independ 
ent  of  the  Master,  and  without  the  approval  of  the 
Board,  for  all  rats  and  mice  to  pay  respect  to  my 
person,  and  my  apartments,  and  trouble  me  no  more. 
Then  I  turned  over,  and  went  to  sleep  again. 

Adverse  fate,  or  some  other  mysterious  personage 
was  on  my  track  that  night.  Before  I  had  time  to 
close  my  eyes,  a  shrill  shriek  of  horror  resounded 
through  the  building,  starting  the  echoes  from  every 
side. 

It  sounded  in  my  ears  like  the  despairing  cry  of 
one  doomed  to  eternal  death.  Imagination  supplied 
the  cause,  and  brought  me  to  my  feet  with  one 
bound. 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  71 

Some  pent  up  prisoner  was  dying  alone  in  his  cell. 
I  sprang  to  the  rail  and  called,  — 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  had  the  nightmare.  I  do  have  it  some 
times." 

"  Was  that  you,  Mary  McCullum?  " 

"  I  think  it  was,  ma'am.  I'm  sorry  I  waked  you  ! 
Never  mind  me,  ma'am ! " 

Poor  Mary  McCullum !  In  a  moment  I  remem 
bered  all  about  her.  They  had  told  me  a  sad  tale 
about  her  incarceration  for  the  murder  of  her  rival. 

Mary's  husband  had  left  her,  taking  her  three  little 
girls  away,  and  married  another  woman.  Mary,  in  a 
fit  of  jealous  madness,  had  ground  up  a  knife,  enticed 
the  woman  to  drink  with  her,  and  murdered  her  in 
her  cellar.  A  policeman  had  detected  her  in  the  act. 
God  pity,  and  judge  her !  She  had  been  sentenced 
to  ten  years  of  hard  labor  in  the  Penitentiary  for  the 
crime. 

Five  years  had  been  worked  out.  Her  health  was 
gone,  her  nervous  system  had  become  a  wreck.  The 
damp  rooms,  the  chilling  stones,  the  ceaseless  toil, 
were  the  slow  torture  that  had  undermined  her  con 
stitution,  and  consumed  her  vitality. 

Her  narrow  cell  had  become,  to  her  imagination, 
the  home  of  demons  who  haunted  her  with  her 
crime. 

The  other  women  had  told  me  that  the  ghost  of 
the  murdered  woman  came  to  Mary  McCullum  every 
night,  all  in  her  bloody  garments,  and  set  her  shriek 
ing  in  her  dreams. 


72  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

Should  such  a  criminal  go  unpunished?  The 
halter  could  bring  no  surer  death  than  what  was 
slowly  creeping  upon  her.  Restrained  of  her  liberty 
she  should  be,  and  from  the  power  to  do  further 
harm.  Labor  for  her  own  support  should  be  required 
of  her.  Connected  with  it,  a  sufficient  amount  of 
rest  to  secure  health,  a  place  to  sleep  free  from  the 
damp  and  noisome  air  of  a  stone  prison. 

A  plenty  of  wholesome  food  should  be  allowed  her ; 
time  and  space  for  repentance  given,  time  to  think 
upon  the  error  of  her  ways,  and  instruction  that 
would  teach  her  how  to  do  it. 

That  worrysome  night  was  to  meet  with  one  more 
"  thrilling  adventure  "  before  it  passed  away  into  the 
light  of  the  following  day. 

I  lay,  tossing  from  side  to  side,  after  I  returned  to 
my  bed.  Sleep  was  out  of  the  question.  I  lay,  tossing 
thoughts  about  the  circumstances  that  surrounded  me 
to  and  fro  in  my  mind,  trying  to  analyze,  to  distinct 
ness,  the  mixed  up  conclusions  that  arose  from  them. 

Another  unearthly  cry  rung  out  on  the  air,  and 
startled  me  from  my  perplexed  meditations.  It  was 
more  like  the  shriek  of  an  animal  in  distress,  than  a 
human  sound. 

Wail  followed  wail,  in  quick  succession.  Can  it 
be  a  human  being  ?  I  asked  myself,  as  I  hurried  on 
some  clothing.  It  must  be,  there  is  nothing  else 
here  that  can  make  such  a  noise. 

I  stopped  to  listen,  as  I  went  to  search  it  out.  It 
came  from  one  quarter,  and  then,  from  another.  If 


FIRST  NIGHT  ALONE  IN  PRISON.  73 

it  were  made  in  one  cell,  it  possessed  a  wonderful 
power  of  ventriloquism. 

I  remembered  the  hooting  and  whistling  of  the 
night  before,  and  immediately  inferred  that  the  same 
mischievous  girls,  who  made  the  disturbance  in  the 
evening,  had  set  up  this  cry  and  echoed  it  around 
from  division  to  division,  in  order  to  make  a  night 
of  it. 

Quick  as  the  thought  entered  my  mind,  my  pa 
tience  gave  way.  I  vowed,  in  my  heart,  that  I  would 
have  them  punished  if  I  could  catch  them.  My  own 
aroused  temper  certainly  suggested  the  punishment 
that  I  contemplated.  Even  with  the  thought  which 
suggested  punishment  arose  the  query  —  Js  it  not  a 
just  indignation  that  I  feel,  and  do  they  not  deserve 
punishment  for  willfully  making'  this  unreasonable 
disturbance  ?  Is  it  my  anger  that  seeks  revenge  for 
the  annoyance  they  are  inflicting  ? 

Although  half  way  down  into  the  prison,  I  ran 
back  to  my  room,  and  left  my  slippers,  in  order  to 
avoid  the  tap,  tapping  of  the  leather  soles  on  the 
walks,  which  would  announce  my  approach  to  the 
culprits,  and  warn  them  in  season  to  avoid  detec 
tion. 

Again  I  traversed  flat  after  flat  in  my  stockings. 
Quickly,  and  noiselessly,  I  threaded  the  walks  to 
wards  the  spot  from  whence  the  sound  appeared  to 
proceed.  But  when  I  reached  it,  all  was  silent 
there,  and  the  wail  came  shrieking  around  another 
corner. 

I  grew  more  and  more  angry  as  chills  crept  up  my 


74  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

limbs,  and  set  my  teeth  chattering.  I  raised  my 
thinly  clad  feet  from  the  cold  stones  only  to  set  them 
down  in  a  still  colder  track  —  a  practical  test,  it  now 
occurs  to  me,  of  the  experience  of  the  woman  on  the 
stones  "  in  solitary,"' —  but  my  determination  to  ferret 
out  the  offenders  never  faltered. 

I  was  benumbed  ;  but  I  persevered  till  I  had 
traversed  the  five  flats,  and  listened  at  the  door  of 
nearly  a  hundred  cells.  The  wails  had  grown  to 
howls,  and  filled  the  prison  with  their  noise  as  the 
thunder  fills  the  air  with  its  reverberations,  but  eluded 
my  search. 

I  gathered  my  shawl  around  me,  and  sat  down  by 
the  stove  to  listen ;  and  determine  my  future  course. 
When  I  became  stationary,  the  sounds  changed 
their  course,  and  instead  of  receding  approached 
me.  Nearer,  and  nearer  they  came.  In  a  moment 
they  were  issuing  from  the  floor  at  my  side.  I  shook 
with  a  vague  dread.  Were  those  shrieking  wails  from 
some  prisoner  confined  in  the  dungeon  vaults  below 
the  prison,  insane  or  dying  ?  Involuntarily  I  looked 
down.  There  stood  the  cat,  uttering  piteous  cries  on 
account  of  separation  from  her  kittens  in  the  kitchen, 
and  pleading  to  be  let  out  to  them. 

Quickly  I  ran  over  the  stairs  to  get  my  keys,  nor 
did  I  feel  the  chill  of  the  cold  stone  walks,  as  I  ran 
back  to  appease  the  distress  of  the  mother  cat  by 
opening  the  way  to  her  little  ones. 

I  did  not  regret  that  I  lost  the  opportunity  to  ex 
ecute  the  mentally  threatened  punishment  of  my 
women. 


VII. 

THE  MASTER  AND  THE  RULES. 

ONE  morning,  as  I  sat  warming  my  feet  by  the 
prison  stove,  I  heard  a  slow,  measured  tread  on  the 
stone  walk,  like  some  one  pacing  off  the  length  of 
the  building.  When  it  came  near  to  me  I  looked, 
to  see  the  Master  stalking  along  in  pompous  dig 
nity. 

There  was  what  he  probably  supposed  to  be  au 
thority  in  his  bearing. 

I  arose  and  stood  respectfully  before  him.  I  sup 
posed  he  had  commands  of  some  kind,  for  me,  from 
his  appearance. 

He  went  along-  without  changing  his  gait,  or  turn 
ing  his  head,  into  the  kitchen. 

I  really  did  not  know  what  etiquette  to  observe  on 
this  state  occasion ;  but  I  slowly  followed  him.  He 
marched  round,  looking  over  the  place  in  silent  in 
spection  ;  then  came  directly  before  me,  and  made  a 
dead  halt. 

He  did  not  speak  for  a  moment,  and  I,  to  relieve 
the  embarrassment,  asked,  — 

"  Does  the  place  look  to  suit  you  ?  " 

"  When  it  don't,  I  shall  tell  you,"  he  answered 
gruffly. 


76  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  It  is  more  pleasant  to  be  told  when  we  have 
pleased,  than  when  we  have  not." 

He  made  no  reply  to  that  remark ;  but  said 
sternly,  — 

"  You  are  not  to  read  the  Rules  to  the  prisoners  ; 
you  have  nothing  to  do  with  that." 

"  I  have  not  read  the  Rules  to  the  prisoners.  I 
can  find  no  rules  to  be  governed  by  myself,  much 
more  to  read  to  them." 

"  If  the  prisoners  do  not  obey  you,  you  are  to  re 
port  them  at  once." 

"  I  believe,  according  to  the  Rules  and  Regulations 
laid  down  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  that  I  am  to 
admonish  them  once,  and  at  the  second  offense 
report  them." 

He  turned  and  stalked  away,  looking  a  little 
puzzled. 

At  first  I  could  not  imagine  to  what  he  referred ; 
but  after  stirring  up  my  memory,  I  recollected  that  I 
had  mentioned,  in  reproving  the  women,  a  day  or  two 
before,  that  they  were  breaking  the  Rules. 

I  sat  down  and  wrote  the  Master  a  note  after  this 
wise :  — 

"  The  women  have  a  habit  of  talking  as  they  march 
in  and  out  of  prison.  I  am  ordered  to  report  them  if 
they  do  it.  I  find  in  the  Rules  and  Regulations, 
given  to  the  officers,  by  the  Board  of  Overseers,  on 
the  tenth  page,  that  we  are  directed  to  '  admonish  ' 
the  prisoners,  for  misbehavior,  and  at  the  second 
offense  report  them.  That  was  what  I  did  yesterday, 


THE  MASTER  AND   THE  RULES.  77 

however  my  proceedings  may  have  been  reported  to 
you." 

In  a  few  moments  the  Deputy  made  his  appear 
ance. 

"•  Your  explanation  was  just  the  thing.  We  have 
looked  up  the  Rule,  and  you  are  right.  It  is  better 
to  take  each  one  as  you  catch  her,  rather  than  take 
them  all  together." 

"  That  gives  me  a  chance  to  exercise  still  more 
mercy.  Thank  you  !  " 

Thus  ended  my  first  interview  with  the  Master, 
and  the  second  was  like  unto  it. 

About  a  week  after  that  the  Receiving  Matron 
came  and  told  me  that  I  was  to  go  to  her  wash-room, 
to  oversee  her  women,  while  she  went  to  put  the 
officers'  rooms  in  order. 

I  replied,  "  I  cannot  attend  to  your  work.  I  have 
more  to  do  in  my  own  department  than  I  have 
strength  to  accomplish." 

"  Mrs.  Hardback  " —  that  was  the  Shop  Matron  — 
"  said  you  were  to  do  it." 

"  I  am  not  employed  by  Mrs.  Hardback,  nor  do  I 
take  my  orders  from  her." 

I  was  overburdened  with  work,  and  extremely 
tired.  It  appeared  unreasonable,  to  me,  to  crowd 
anything  more  upon  me.  I  had  not  physical  strength 
to  do  any  more  than  I  was  doing. 

The  Matron  turned  from  me  in  a  fret,  and  left.  I 
dropped  upon  a  bench  and  rested  my  head  upon  the 
table.  From  sheer  fatigue  the  tears  started. 


78  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

In  a  few  moments  I  heard  the  measured  tread  of 
the  Master.  I  did  not  raise  my  head  till  he  had 
stood  before  me  a  moment  or  two.  Then  I  looked 
up.  I  did  not  pay  him  the  respect  to  rise.  He 
looked  at  me  a  moment,  and  seemed  to  have  some 
idea  of  my  condition.  He  said  gently,  if  anything 
could  be  said  gently  by  one  so  rough  — 

"  I  should  like  to  have  you  go  to  the  wash-room 
while  the  Matron  is  at  the  officers'  rooms.  There  is 
a  gang  of  women  at  work  there,  and  she  cannot  leave 
them  alone  very  well." 

His  manner  modified  my  feelings  somewhat ;  but 
I  had  no  idea  of  having  any  more  labor  put  upon 
me,  and  I  said,  — 

"  I  find  it  very  difficult  to  get  through  with  the 
labor  that  I  engaged  for,  and  it  is  impossible  for  me 
to  have  that  of  another  put  upon  me." 

"  Just  for  to-day,  as  she  has  just  come  in." 

"  I  will  go  for  to-day,  as  a  matter  of  favor  ;  but  I 
did  not  engage  for  that  work,  and  I  don't  wish  her 
to  feel  that  she  can  call  upon  me  to  take  her  place 
at  any  time  that  she  may  wish.  Her  relief  should 
come  from  another  quarter." 

"  It  is  only  for  to-day." 

He  went  out,  and  I  started  for  the  wash-house. 


vni. 

MRS.    HARDHACK. 

I  HAD  been  in  the  prison  but  a  few  days  when 
Ellen,  one  of  my  "  sweeps,"  crept  softly  round  to  me, 
and  whispered  in  my  ear,  — 

"  You  must  be  careful  what  you  say !  Mrs.  Hard- 
hack  has  just  been  in  on  the  other  side  to  listen. 
She  creeps  round  like  a  cat,  and  you  never  know 
when  she's  coming,  and  there's  no  knowing  what  she'll 
tell,  and  she'll  surely  get  you  into  trouble." 

"  Don't  give  yourself  any  uneasiness,  she  can't  get 
me  into  trouble." 

"  Don't  tell  what  I  say ;  but  she  do  pick  a  fuss  with 
all  the  Matrons  that  come  here,  and  she  tells  on  'em, 
and  reports  'em,  and  makes  the  Master  mad  with  'em. 
And  I  jest  see  her  creeping  round  in  there  now." 

"  You  know  that  I  am  not  obliged  to  stay  here  as 
you  are,  Ellen.  If  I  am  made  unhappy,  I  can  leave 
at  any  time." 

"  I  know  you  can ;  but  I  don't  want  you  to  be  un 
happy.  I  want  you  to  stay,  and  so  do  the  rest  of  the 
women." 

"  Thank  you,  Ellen.  I  am  glad  you  want  me  to 
stay,  because  I  think  you  will  do  your  work  well  and 
try  to  please  me  by  obeying  all  of  the  rules." 


80  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  I'm  sure  I'll  do  anything  in  the  world  to  please 

ye." 

I  thought  I  would  see  if  Ellen's  information  were 
correct,  so  I  stepped  lightly  around  the  corner  to 
which  she  pointed.  I  was  just  in  season  to  see  the 
back  of  Mrs.  Hardhack's  garments  disappearing 
through  the  door. 

I  was  indifferent  to  such  espionage  personally.  I 
could  easily  correct  any  false  impression  which  might 
be  made  of  my  conduct,  as  I  had  done  in  the  repre 
sentation  which  had  been  made  of  my  reading  the 
Rules  ;  but  it  is  extremely  unpleasant  to  look  upon 
such  a  character,  as  had  been  developed,  in  one  who 
must  be  an  associate.  The  meanness  and  treachery 
that  were  written  upon  it  would  stand  out  before  me, 
whenever  I  saw  her,  in  spite  of  any  good  qualities 
that  she  might  possess. 

That  woman  had  been  in  the  institution  a  great 
many  years,  and  had  become  thoroughly  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  its  rulers.  If  she  went  round  into  the 
other  departments  to  listen,  I  inferred  that  it  must  be 
with  the  approval  of  the  Master. 

If  she  carried  him  information  acquired  in  that 
way,  it  must  be  acceptable,  or  she  would  not  continue 
it. 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  why  such  management 
need  be  pursued  in  this  country.  If  the  Master 
found  a  subordinate  practicing  against  him,  he  could 
dismiss  her  arbitrarily  ;  but  in  so  doing  he  would  only 
dismiss  her  out  into  the  world  to  tell  her  own  tale,  he 


MAS.   HARDUACK.  81 

would  argue.  He  could  make  his  own  representation 
of  the  case  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  and  screen  his 
own  doings ;  but  the  Board  are  not  the  directors  of 
public  opinion. 

A  just,  upright,  and  open  management  would  se 
cure  the  cooperation  of  subordinates  who  are  fit  to 
hold  a  position  in  such  an  institution.  That  such  a 
course  was  not  pursued,  was  because  the  disposition 
of  the  head  Manager  led  him  in  another  direction, 
and  the  disposition  of  the  subordinate,  Mrs.  Hard- 
hack,  made  her  a  fit  agent  to  carry  out  his  peculiar 
views  of  the  proper  way  to  govern  the  institution. 

She  did  not  stop  at  that,  but  tried  many  little  ex 
periments  of  her  own  suggestion.  Her  long  residence 
and  knowledge  of  the  place  enabled  her  to  practice 
them  very  much  to  the  annoyance  of  the  other  Mat 
rons,  and  to  the  distress  of  the  prisoners. 

The  women  were  her  equals  in  detecting  her 
ways,  if  they  had  not  the  power  to  practice  her  strat 
agems. 

They  watched  her  till  she  was  fairly  across  the 
yard  that  morning ;  then,  they  gathered  around  me, 
and  began  to  tell  me  of  her  "  tricks,"  as  they  called 
them. 

"  She's  the  artfulest  huzzy  that  ever  lived,"  said 
Ellen.  "  She'll  tell  the  women  when  they  leave  the 
shop  not  to  speak  a  word  till  they  get  out  of  it,  nor  in 
the  yard  ;  but  when  they  get  into  the  prison  they  may 
talk  as  much  as  they  are  a  mind  to.  Don't  ye  see, 
that's  to  make  you  trouble.  You'll  have  to  scold  'em, 


82  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

and  get  'em  locked  up ;  and  then,  they'll  hate  you. 
and  plague  you  all  they  can." 

"  Don't  be  anxious,  Ellen  ?  After  I  have  been  here 
awhile  the  women  will  understand  me,  and  they  won't 
be  any  more  willing  to  plague  me  than  you  are." 

"  That's  true  !  but  it  will  take  longer  because  you 
don't  see  'em  so  much  as  you  do  us.  And  don't  ye 
see,  she'll  tell  'em  anything.  She  always  be's  stirring 
up  a  fuss  somewhere.  The  women  all  hates  her." 

"  Never  mind  saying  anything  more,  Ellen.  I 
think  I  can  manage  her." 

"  Don't  let  her  know  I've  said  anything !  She'd 
surely  pick  up  something  to  get  me  locked  up  for." 

"  'Twas  she  that  got  me  ten  days  in  solitary,  and 
the  gag,"  said  O'Brien.  "  I'd  like  to  make  her  bones 
ache  as  mine  ached  then  !  If  ever  I  catch  her  out- 
outside  I'll "  - 

"Anne  O'Brien,  stop  !" 

"  Well,  ma'am,  if  she  had  treated  you  as  she  has 
me  you  would  hate  her.  I'd  strike  her  down  in  a 
minute  if  I  could  get  the  chance.  And  she  will  get 
struck  down  in  the  shop  sometime  and  killed.  She 
never  goes  outside,  and  she  dares  not,  so  many  of 
the  women  hate  her,  and  are  on  the  watch  for  her." 

That  was  the  effect  produced  by  solitary  confine 
ment,  without  mitigation,  as  I  heard  it  talked  univer 
sally  among  the  prisoners.  Does  it  conduce  to 
reformation  ? 

At  the  time  this  occurred,  I  thought  the  prisoners 
had  exaggerated  in  their  statements  about  Mrs. 


MRS.  HARDBACK.  83 

Hardback ;  but  in  a  few  days  they  were  confirmed 
by  her  own  conduct. 

I  was  suspicious  that  the  truth  had  been  told  me 
with  regard  to  her  putting  the  prisoners  up  to  make 
a  noise  when  they'came  in  prison,  by  the  appearance 
of  a  few  of  them. 

I  thought  I  might  arouse  her  pity  for  them,  and 
induce  her  to  stop  her  machinations  in  that  way. 

I  remarked  to  her,  as  we  were  standing  together 
one  evening  after  the  women  had  been  particularly 
noisy  in  coming  in  from  the  shop,  — 

"  I  am  afraid  I  shall  be  obliged  to  have  some  of 
the  women  put  in  solitary  if  they  continue  to  be  so 
troublesome  when  they  come  in  to  supper." 

u  Afraid !  "  she  echoed  scornfully,  "  I  like  to  get 
them  locked  up." 

I  looked  in  blank  astonishment  upon  the  human 
monster  before  me. 

"  Are  you  in  earnest  ?  "  I  asked.  "  Do  you  mean 
to  say  that  you  like  to  add  to  the  hard  lot  of  those 
poor  creatures  by  that  dreadful  punishment  of  soli 
tary  ? " 

"  Yes,  I'm  sure  I  do  !  " 

And  with  a  coarse  laugh  she  turned  away. 

I  hoped  she  could  not  mean  it ;  but  all  of  her  ac 
tions,  and  all  the  reports  that  I  heard  of  her,  tended 
to  produce  the  conviction  that  she  had  formed  a  just 
estimate  of  her  own  character  ;.  and,  upon  that,  made 
a  correct  representation  of  herself. 

That  remark  of  mine  hit  wide  of  the  mark.     In- 


84  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

stead  of  touching  her  compassion  it  roused  the  spirit 
of  mischief. 

She  was  on  duty  that  night  in  prison,  and,  restless 
as  the  renowned  adventurer  who  went  to  and  fro  in 
the  earth  seeking  whom  he  might  devour,  she  went 
on  a  search  through  the  cells  of  the  first  division 
where  my  kitchen  women  lodged. 

The  Deputy  had  ordered  me  to  supply  the  women, 
on  that  division,  with  all  the  blankets  they  wanted, 
because  they  worked  in  the  kitchens  where  it  was  hot 
and  the  air  full  of  steam.  And  being  the  lowest 
tier  of  cells,  they  were  colder  than  the  others. 

I  had  done  as  he  directed  me,  so  that  some  of 
them  had  four  or  five.  Allen,  my  steam  woman,  an 
old  woman  of  nearly  sixty,  had  six. 

Mrs.  Hardhack  stripped  their  beds,  and  counted 
their  blankets.  She  took  off  all  but  two,  and  locked 
them  up  in  a  black  cell. 

The  sweep  who  sat  'tending  the  door  saw  the  pro 
ceeding,  and  ran  to  tell  me  what  was  going  on. 

"  Mrs.  Hardhack  is  stripping  the  blankets  off  the 
women's  beds,  and  she  hasn't  left  poor  old  Allen 
but  two  little  strips  of  rags." 

I  went  to  see  what  she  was  doing.  No  sooner  did 
her  eye  light  on  me  than  she  commenced  to  sho'w  me 
how  well  educated  she  was  in  the  use  of  the  diction 
ary. 

"  Here  are  your  women  with  six  blankets,  and  the 
rule  is  that  they  shall  have  only  two.  A  double  one 
and  a  single  one." 


MRS.  HARDBACK.  85 

I  was  in  no  wise  accountable  to  her,  and  did  not 
think  it  necessary  to  answer.  I  stood  and  looked 
at  her.  She  went  on,  — 

"  You  have  no  right  to  give  your  women  more 
than  the  rest  have.  You  have  no  right  to  give  out 
blankets  in  that  way,  and  the  Master  will  know  it 
directly.  Here  are  your  women  with  six  blankets, 
and  my  shop  women  with  only  two.  It's  a  shame 
to  treat  your  women  so  much  better  than  you  do 
mine." 

When  she  had  exhausted  herself,  I  said,  quietly, 
but  loud  enough  for  them  all  to  hear,  — 

"  Your  shop  women  are  just  as  well  treated  as  my 
kitchen  women.  Some  of  the  old  ones  have  five  or 
six  blankets  —  they  all  have  as  many  as  they  wish 
for.  I  have  been  to  the  doors,  and  asked  every  one 
of  them  if  they  wished  for  more.  And  now  if  any 
woman  wants  another  blanket,  speak  !  and  she  shall 
have  it.  You  may  be  assured,  every  one  of  you,  that 
you  shall  have  every  comfort,  from  me,  that  I  am 
allowed  to  give  you." 

No  one  spoke.  That  time  Mrs.  Hardback  failed 
to  stir  up  jealousy  on  the  part  of  the  shop  women 
towards  me ;  or  create  disturbance  in  the  prison. 

<k  I  shall  have  it  my  own  way  about  the  blankets 
to-night,"  she  said,  and  locked  them  in  a  black  cell. 

I  did  not  like  to  come  in  contact  with  her,  so  I 
went  for  the  Deputy,  to  settle  the  matter.  He  was 
out.  I  asked  for  the  Master.  I  was  told  that  I  could 
not  see  him.  He  was  indisposed.  I  could  not  get 


86  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

access  to  him,  and  my  women  slept  without  their 
blankets  till  nine  o'clock,  when  Mrs.  Hardback  left 
the  prison.  After  she  was  gone  I  returned  them  the 
blankets  she  had  taken  away. 

The  next  morning  she  came  to  me  to  know  who 
unlocked  the  black  cell  door. 

"  When  you  have  authority  to  inquire  into  my  ac 
tions,  I  will  render  an  account  of  them  to  you." 

u  You  have  no  right  to  unlock  a  door  after  I  lock 
it." 

"  You  have  no  further  care  of  the  prison  after  you 
leave  it  at  night,  and  the  last  order  given  is  the  one 
to  be  obeyed.  I  had  a  plenty  of  blankets  up-stairs, 
in  a  chest,  to  supply  the  ones  you  took  away,  if  I  had 
chosen  to  use  them." 

I  went  to  the  Deputy  in  the  morning,  and  he  for 
bade  her  interference  in  such  matters. 

She  indulged  herself  in  one  more  exhibition  of 
her  sweet  temper  with  regard  to  the  affair,  and  that 
was  to  tell  me  that  she  had  secured  my  women  a  few 
hours  of  cool  repose. 


IX. 

A    BREAD-AND-WATER    BOARDER. 

ONE  night,  when  the  women  were  coming  into 
the  prison,  I  observed  great  commotion  and  distur 
bance  among  them.  I  heard  a  confused,  mixed  up, 
talk  about  beds  being  taken  out. 

Two  or  three  of  the  women  stepped  out  of  the 
ranks,  and  looked  up  into  their  rooms,  to  see  if  their 
beds  were  taken  out  of  them.  Among  the  number 
was  a  woman  by  the  name  of  Callahan. 

I  had  heard  of  her  as  being  a  desperate  charac 
ter  ;  but  she  had  behaved  well  in  the  prison. 

She  was  a  tall,  stout  woman,  with  a  loud  voice. 
After  she  had  looked  into  her  room,  and  seen  that 
her  bed  was  gone,  she  turned  to  me,  and  asked,  — 

"  What  was  my  bed  taken  out  for  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  know  that  it  was  out." 

She  looked  steadily  at  me  for  a  moment ;  then, 
lowered  her  voice,  and  asked,  — 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  didn't  know  that 
my  bed  was  out  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Callahan,  I  meant  to  say  that  I  did  not  know 
your  bed  was  taken  out.  Perhaps  you  are  mistaken, 
it  may  not  be  out." 


88  WOMAN  IN  PJRISON. 

"  O,  yes,  it  is  out ;  I  saw  the  naked  bars." 

"  Come,  Callahan,  go  along  like  a  good  woman ! 
Go  to  your  room  first,  and  see,  before  you  ask  why  it 
is  done." 

She  went  into  her  room.  The  other  women  were 
in  theirs.  I  called,  — 

"  Second  Division  !  " 

All  of  the  rest  shut  their  doors. 

"  Shut  your  door,  Callahan  !  "  I  called  pleasantly. 

"  No,  ma'am,  I  will  not.  I  don't  mean  anything 
against  you ;  but  I  will  not  shut  my  door,  nor  sleep 
on  the  bars.  Do  you  know  who  reported  me,  and 
what  my  bed  is  taken  out  for  ?  " 

"  No,  I  do  not." 

I  was  obliged  to  leave  her  standing  in  her  door, 
and  go  round  to  the  other  side  of  the  prison  to  see 
the  other  prisoners  slid  in. 

The  moment  I  left  Callahan,  she  began  to  rave. 
"  By  the  Holy  Jesus,  I  won't  sleep  on  the  bars.  And 
I'll  know  who  reported  me,  and  what  I'm  reported 
for,  —  the  miserable  set  of"  — 

"  Callahan,  stop !  "  I  ran  round  and  called. 

Neither  of  the  Shop  Matrons  appeared,  and  I  was 
told  that  it  was  because  they  were  afraid  of  Calla- 
han's  violence. 

"  No,  I  won't  stop !  I'll  do  something  to  make 
them  lock  me  up.  I  won't  sleep  on  the  bars.  It  was 
Hardhack  that  reported  me.  I  wish  I'd  struck  her 
down  ! " 

"  No !  no !  it  was  Thingsly,"  said  a  voice  that  I 
did  not  know. 


A    BREAD-AND-WATER  BOARDER.  89 

"  Hardback  made  the  balls  if  Thingsly  fried  'em. 
She's  at  the  bottom  of  all  the  deviltry  there  is  done 
here." 

Then  she  commenced  a  tirade  of  vituperations 
and  oaths  that  made  my  ears  tingle. 

In  a  few  moments  the  Deputy  made  his  appear 
ance. 

"  Your  No.  1  key,"  he  said  to  me,  and  proceeded 
to  Callahan's  room. 

I  got  it;  and  then  followed  him. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Deputy,"  she  said  to  him,  when  he  went 
up  to  her ;  "  you  know  I  won't  sleep  on  the  bars. 
You  might  as  well  lock  me  up  first  as  last,  if  you  are 
going  to  punish  me.  But  you  ought  to  tell  me  what 
it's  for.  I  haven't  done  anything  but  speak  in  the 
walk,  and  all  of  'em  do  that." 

The  Deputy  made  no  reply  ;  but  I  saw  that  he  had 
buttoned  up  his  coat  as  though  he  expected  violence. 
She  went  peaceably  to  her  solitary  cell,  however ;  but 
all  of  the  way  she  begged  the  Deputy  to  tell  her 
what  he  was  locking  her  up  for. 

When  she  saw  me  standing  by  the  Deputy,  she 
asked  me  where  Hardback  and  Thingsly  were. 

"  I  don't  know ;  they  haven't  been  in  the  prison 
to-night." 

"  They're  afraid  to  come  ;  but  I  wouldn't  hurt  the 
poor  little  lambs.  They  know  they're  guilty,  and 
they  know  I'm  locked  up  for  nothing." 

"  Shall  I  give  her  her  bread  and  water  to-night  ?  " 
I  asked  the  Deputy,  as  he  turned  to  leave. 


90  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  Yes." 

I  knew  the  water  would  be  grateful  to  the  poor 
thing. 

I  wished  to  ask  the  Deputy  if  Callahan  had  told 
the  truth  ;  but  my  own  consciousness  told  me  that 
she  had.  I  had  learned  to  esteem  the  man,  and  I 
could  not  bear  to  hear  him  say  that  he  was  accessory 
to  such  injustice,  although  I  knew  that  it  was  his  duty 
as  a  subordinate  officer  to  do  as  he  had  done. 

I  could  not  help  questioning,  Ought  not  the  girl  to 
be  told  what  she  is  punished  for  ?  Has  she  been 
"  admonished  ?  "  The  poor  thing  had  no  redress 
for  such  injustice. 

That  was  the  point  that  she,  too,  was  revolving  in 
her  mind.  When  I  gave  her  the  bread  and  water, 
she  said  to  me,  — 

"  Look  here,  now,  don't  you  think  they  ought  to 
tell  me  what  I  am  punished  for  ?  " 

"  You  must  not  ask  me  such  questions.  It  isn't 
for  me  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  what  the  Master 
does." 

She  was  intent  on  finding  out  my  opinions,  so  she 
put  her  questions  in  a  different  way. 

"  If  you  reported  me,  wouldn't  you  tell  me  what  it 
was  for  ?  " 

"  Certainly !  I  should  probably  give  you  a  good 
scolding  before  I  had  you  punished." 

"If  you  was  going  to  punish  me  just  as  you  were 
a  mind  to,  for  speaking  on  the  walk,  would  you  shut 
me  up  here  two  days  and  two  nights  for  it  ?  " 


A  BREAD-AND- WATER  BOARDER.  91 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  how  do  you  know  that  you  are 
to  stay  here  two  days  and  two  nights  ?  " 

"  Because  they  are  never  shut  up  for  any  shorter 
time." 

"O'Brien  and  McMullins  were  only  in  for  one  day 
and  a  night." 

"  That  was  because  you  begged  'em  off.  -But  no- 
body'll  beg  me  off.  Say!  would  you  shut  me  up 
here  for  speaking  on  the  walk  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  you  knew  the  rule,  and  dis 
obeyed,  —  it  is  for  disobedience  that  you  are  pun 
ished." 

"  Ever  so  many  of  them  talked,  —  they  all  talk  ; 
but  none  of  'em  got  punished  but  me.  They've  got 
a  spite  against  me,  —  is  that  right." 

"  Perhaps  that  is  your  jealousy,  Callahan." 

"  No,  it  isn't.  Four  of  us  were  talking  together. 
If  Thingsly  saw  one,  she  saw  the  whole  of  us." 

"  Perhaps  it  isn't  for  that  you  are  punished." 

"  Won't  you  find  out  ?  Won't  you  ask  Hard- 
hack  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't  wish  to." 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  her  ?  " 

«  No !  " 

"  Do  you  like  that  woman  ?  " 

"  She  is  nothing  to  me.  But  if  I  were  to  ask  her 
a  question,  about  what  does  not  concern  me,  I  might 
not  get  a  civil  answer." 

I  was  fast  arriving  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would 
be  impossible  for  me  to  assist  in  carrying  out  such  a 
system  of  government. 


92  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

The  next  day  I  spoke  to  the  Deputy  about  letting 
her  out.  He  shook  his  head. 

"  If  she  was  one  of  your  women,  and  you  had  the 
care  of  her,  I  might." 

When  the  two  days  were  expired,  he  sent  me 
round  word  to  let  Callahan  out  at  six  o'clock.  With 
my  watch  in  my  hand  I  did  not  defer  it  a  moment 
later.  As  I  was  waiting  upon  her  to  her  room,  I 
asked  her,  — 

"  Why  had  you  rather  go  into  solitary  than  sleep 
on  the  bars  ?  " 

"  If  I  sleep  on  the  bars,  I  lose  just  as  much  time, 
and  have  to  work  all  the  next  day.  If  I  can't  have 
my  bed  to  sleep  in,  I  won't  work  for  'em." 

"  I  shouldn't  think  there  would  be  much  rest  in 
solitary." 

"  There  ain't ;  but  I  don't  earn  any  money  for  them 
either." 

There  was  retaliation  with  calculation. 

"  Callahan,  I  turned  the  key  on  you  in  solitary,  and 
kept  you  there,  —  why  are  you  not  angry  with  me  ?  " 

"  You  didn't  do  it  out  of  spite  —  you  never  did  me 
any  wrong.  If  they  only  punished  me  when  I  de 
served  it,  I  shouldn't  be  mad." 

I  did  not  know  how  to  reprove  the  woman.  "  Cal 
lahan,  be  as  good  a  woman  in  the  shop  as  you  are 
with  me." 

"  I'll  try  to  ;  but  they  wake  up  the  devil  in  me.  I 
wish  you  would  get  me  into  the  kitchen." 

«  I'll  try." 


AN   ARRIVAL. 

THE  windows  of  the  kitchen  were  of  ground  glass. 
They  were  made  to  let  down  at  the  top,  but  could  not 
be  raised  at  the  bottom. 

When  they  were  let  down,  I  noticed  that  the 
younger  women,  if  I  were  out  of  the  way  a  moment, 
sprang  upon  the  window-seat,  which  was  a  deep  re 
cess,  and  stood  looking  out.  I  inferred  from  the 
manner  of  doing  it,  and  the  apprehensive  look  they 
gave  me,  when  detected,  that  it  was  breaking  the 
rules  to  do  so. 

But  no  one  informed  me  of  such  a  rule,  and  I  did 
not  think  it  necessary  to  inquire.  I  could  see  no 
possible  harm  that  could  come  to  them  from  looking 
through  the  bars  upon  the  grass,  and  trees,  and 
flowers  of  the  grounds.  Positive  good  might  arise 
from  changing  the  tenor  of  their  thoughts.  If  they 
stood  longer  than  I  thought  best,  I  sent  them  to  do 
something  for  me. 

One  day,  Annie  O'Brien  had  mounted  the  window- 
seat,  in  my  absence  from  the  kitchen,  and  when  I 
went  back,  was  exercising  her  powers  of  description 
upon  what  she  saw,  for  the  entertainment  of  the 
others. 


94  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

The  window  through  which  she  was  looking,  com 
manded  a  view  of  the  yard,  the  office,  and  the  walk 
through  which  the  public  found  entrance  'to  the 
buildings. 

"  An  arrival,  an  arrival ! "  called  Annie,  in  a  loud 
whisper. 

"  Who  is  it  ?  Is  it  anybody  that  we  know  ?  "  asked 
one  of  the  girls  that  had  been  brought  in  with  her. 

I  stood  behind  the  furnace  a  moment  to  notice 
what  was  going  on. 

"  Yes,  there  is  Tom  Ticket.  I  wonder  what  he 
has  been  doing." 

"  Nothing  new,  of  course !  They  wanted  a  car 
penter  down  here,  so  they  sent  up  for  him.  The 
carpenter  was  discharged  the  other  day,  and  I  heard 
one  of  the  men  say  they'd  have  another  down  in  a 
few  days,  — they  knew  just  where  to  lay  their  hands 
on  one  of  the  best  in  the  city." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say,  Lissett,  that  they  can  have  a 
man  brought  down  here  a  prisoner,  because  they 
want  a  carpenter  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Yes,  ma'am.  They  know  he  drinks,  and  can 
prove  it,  but  they  don't  want  too  many  at  a  time,  so 
they  let  him  run  till  they  want  him  ;  then,  they  have 
him  taken  up,  and  fetched  down  here." 

My  face  must  have  expressed  the  utter  abhorrence 
I  felt  of  such  work.  O  let  us  cleanse  our  whited 
sepulchres !  Is  there  not  work  enough  within  our 
own  borders  to  employ  our  Christian  men  and  re 
forming  women  !  We  need  not  go  abroad  for  work 


AN  ARRIVAL.  95 

with  such  festering  sores  in  our  own  vitals.  For 
very  shame  let  us  cleanse  these  places  !  —  were  my 
thoughts. 

Here  was  another  occasion  for  glib  Annie  O'Brien 
to  hold  forth ;  and  such  occasions  were  never  slighted 
by  her. 

"  Half  that  come  in  here,"  she  said,  "  are  not  doing 
anything  when  they  come.  My  coming,  when  I 
came,  was  a  put  up  job." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 

"  A  policeman  was  hired  to  take  me  up.  I  was 
sitting  in  a  store,  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
when  he  came  in  and  told  me  to  follow  him." 

"  Who  put  him  up  to  it  ?  " 

"  A  man  that  kept  a  saloon  paid  him  five  dollars, 
and  he  did  it.  Any  of  the  policemen  will  take  a 
person  up  for  five  dollars.  When  I  came  here  I 
wasn't  doing  anything  out  of  the  way  ;  but,  of  course, 
they  knew  what  I  had  done." 

"  What  did  the  saloon  man  want  you  taken  up 
for?" 

"  Because  I  wouldn't  tend  for  him.  He  had  tried 
to  get  me  in  there,  and  I  wouldn't  go." 

"  Why  wouldn't  you  go  ?  Wouldn't  it  have  been 
better  for  you  to  earn  an  honest  living  ?  " 

"  An  honest  living !  I'd  had  to  gone  with  any  man 
he  said  if  I'd  gone  there,  and  I  rather  choose  my  own 
friends." 

"  O,  Annie,  how  can  you  stand  there,  and  tell  this 
over?  I  should  think  your  heart  would  burst  with 
grief  when  you  think  of  it ! " 


96  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  0  pshaw  !  it's  nothing  when  you  get  used  to  it ! " 
said  Lissett,  and  snapping  her  fingers  at  the  imagina 
tion  that  O'Brien  had  called  up,  she  flounced  out  of 
the  room.  But  for  all  that,  I  saw  that  she  choked 
as  she  said  it,  and  the  tears  came  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  hadn't  got  quite  so  used  to  it  as  to  go  to  that 
pitch,"  said  O'Brien. 

And  where  are  the  men  that  make  these  women 
what  they  are  ?  I  asked  myself.  Coolly  walking  the 
streets  outside  the  terrors  of  the  law.  At  that  mo 
ment  I  could  have  locked  all  of  mankind  in  solitary, 
and  fed  them  on  bread  and  water,  without  suffering 
one  pang.  Is  there  no  help  for  this  state  of  things, 
that  the  weak  suffer  for  the  sins  of  the  strong  ?  If 
man  does  not  meet  his  punishment  here  he  is  borne 
on,  by  time,  to  judgment,  where  he  will  have  no  power 
to  screen  his  guilty  acts  or  shift  his  punishment  upon 
the  helpless. 

That  reflection  did  not  satisfy  me  at  the  time.  A 
more  summary  retribution  would  be  better  suited  to 
the  sin.  One  that  would  inflict  immediate  tribulation 
and  anguish  upon  him,  such  as  had  fallen  upon  his 
victims. 

Annie  turned  again  to  look  out  of  the  window. 

"  There  is  but  one  woman  taking  a  ride  in  the 
fancy  carriage  of  the  government.  Exercise  in  that 
carriage  is  excellent  for  dyspepsia." 

"  Do  you  know  her  ?  "  asked  Allen. 

"  No  !  she's  a  jail-bird,  I  kno\v,  by  her  looks.  She's 
come  from  the  Superior  Court ;  she'll  have  a  long 
sentence.  She's  coming  through  the  kitchen." 


AN  ARRIVAL.  97 

Annie  sprang  down  to  look  at  her,  and  all  of  the 
rest  followed  her  to  the  door  which  stood  open,  into 
the  garden,  for  the  men  to  bring  in  the  bread  for 
supper. 

"  Stand  back  !  It  isn't  necessary  for  you  to  give 
her  a  welcome." 

The  newly  arrived  had  her  veil  drawn  tightly  down 
over  her  face ;  but  I  could  see  that  she  was  young, 
and  very  good  looking. 

In  the.  absence  of  the  female  Receiving  Officer  I 
took  her  from  the  Clerk,  and  waited  upon  her  to  the 
reception  room  where  she  was  stripped  of  her  own 
clothes,  and  put  into  a  bathing-tub.  When  she  was 
thoroughly  scrubbed  and  dried,  she  was  arrayed  in 
the  uniform  of  the  place,  and  sent  to  the  shop. 

There  her  capabilities  were  tried,  and  she  was  as 
signed  to  the  work  for  which  she  was  best  adapted. 

The  clothes  that  she  had  taken  off  were  carefully 
folded,  put  in  a  bag  by  themselves,  and  labeled,  to 
restore  to  her  when  she  went  out  of  the  prison. 

When  I  returned  to  the  kitchen,  my  girls  had 
found  out  who  the  new  prisoner  was,  how  long  a  sen 
tence  she  had,  and  what  was  the  offense  for  which 
she  had  been  committed. 

How  the  facts  got  circulation  in  so  short  a  time, 
was  a  mystery  to  me. 

7 


XI. 

INSIDE    MANAGEMENT. 

IN  deciding  upon  the  capabilities  of  the  prisoners 
Mrs.  Supervisor  made  herself  useful. 

Her  first  care  was  to  find  out  how  long  a  sentence 
a  woman  had.  That  determined  one  qualification  for 
her  own  service.  If  the  sentence  were  for  two  or 
three  years,  and  there  was  to  be  a  vacancy  in  her  own 
family,  the  woman  was  eligible  to  a  place  there,  pro 
vided  she  could  be  trained  into  the  work  required. 

This  care  was  taken  to  save  herself  and  her  House 
keeper  the  trouble  of  changing. 

To  oversee  her  housekeeping  was  the  Supervisor's 
pet  employment,  and  it  was  fortunate  for  the  House 
keeper  that  the  government  super-official  had  one 
pet.  Through  that  partiality,  she  got  two  hours  and 
a  half  more  sleep  in  the  morning  than  the  rest  of  us. 

She  was  not  called  till  half  past  six ;  but  I  un 
locked  her  women  at  the  same  time  that  I  did  the 
others. 

I  was  glad  she  could  be  so  favored ;  but  I  could 
not  see  the  justice  of  such  an  arrangement. 

I  found,  in  the  course  of  time,  that  it  was  a  system 
of  mutual  favor.  I  went  in  to  breakfast  one  morning, 
and  there  was  no  milk  on  the  table. 


INSIDE  MANAGEMENT.  99 

Katie,  the  table  girl,  went  to  the  refrigerator,  that 
stood  in  the  room,  to  get  me  some.  She  had  just 
laid  her  hand  upon  the  bowl  when  the  Housekeeper, 
with  a  quick  motion,  arrested  her. 

"  I  must  have  that  cream  for  the  Master's  break 
fast  !  "  she  whispered. 

She  took  the  bowl,  removed  the  cream  into  one 
pitcher,  poured  the  skimmed  milk  into  the  one  Katie 
held  in  her  hand,  and  sent  it  to  me. 

I  was  not  particularly  anxious  to  drink  skimmed 
milk  in  my  tea  so  that  the  Master  might  have  cream  ; 
but  I  supposed  it  was  in  some  way  to  contribute  to 
the  support  of  the  institution  ;  or  that  there  was  an 
order  of  the  Board  to  that  effect,  so  I  made  no  com 
plaint.  Indeed  it  was  my  policy  not  to  appear  to 
notice  what  was  going  on  in  such  trifling  matters,  — 
trifling  to  the  Supervisor,  probably,  whatever  they 
might  have  been  to  the  inferior  officers. 

Before  I  knew  the  Housekeeper's  hour  of  rising,  I 
went  into  her  kitchen,  on  an  errand,  several  times 
before  she  was  up. 

I  always  found  the  women  working  on  nice  em 
broidery.  They  could  not  attend  to  their  housework 
because  the  Housekeeper  had  the  keys,  and  was  not 
up  to  unlock  the  stores  and  give  out  the  things  to 
work  with.  But  there  could  be  no  relaxation  of  their 
labor  on  that  account.  They  must  be  up  and  at 
work. 

One  morning,  Mary  Hartwell  asked  me  to  look  on 
the  list,  and  see  if  her  name  were  there. 


100  WOMAN  IN  PKISON. 

The  names  of  the  women  who  were  going  out  dur 
ing  the  month,  with  the  date  of  the  day  that  they 
were  to  be  discharged,  was  handed  to  the  Receiving 
Matron,  the  first  of  the  month. 

The  women  were  very  accurate,  usually,  in  keep 
ing  account  of  their  own  time,  still  they  were  anxious 
to  have  their  own  calculations  confirmed  by  knowing 
that  their  names  were  entered  on  the  discharge  list. 

"  If  you  will  please  look  for  me,  I  will  do  some 
thing  for  you  after  I  go  out." 

"  Something  for  me,  Mary  !  0  no  !  I  will  look  for 
you  when  I  go  to  the  wash-room  to-day." 

Her  remark  called  my  attention  to  her  work.  I 
saw  that  she  was  doing  a  beautiful  piece  of  embroid 
ery.  When  she  saw  that  I  noticed  it,  she  held  it  up 
and  exhibited  it  with  a  great  deal  of  pride. 

It  was  a  night-gown  yoke,  in  linen,  of  an  elegant 
and  elaborate  pattern. 

"  Who  are  you  doing  this  for  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  This  is  for  Mrs.  Means."  That  was  the  House 
keeper. 

That  is  what  I  call  you  up  two  hours  and  a  half 
before  she  rises,  to  do,  I  thought. 

"  How  many  of  you  are  there  that  can  do  such 
work  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Five  of  us  can  do  this  kind,  and  we  can  all  do 
fine  stitching,  or  crochet,  or  some  kind  of  fine  needle 
work." 

There  were  ten  of  them  to  do  the  work  in  the 
Housekeeper's  rooms,  and  those  of  the  Supervisor. 
Quite  an  array  of  talent ! 


INSIDE  MANAGEMENT.  101 

"  You  ought  to  see  Ann  Horton's  work.  She  does 
all  kinds  beautifully.  She  stays  up-stairs,  and  works 
all  of  the  time.  She  had  a  sentence  of  three  years; 
it's  most  out  now.  It  would  do  your  eyes  good  to  see 
the  piles  and  piles  of  nice  things  she  has  done  for 
the  Master's  wife  and  the  young  ladies.  The  pillow 
cases,  and  the  yokes,  and  bands,  and  skirts." 

"  Has  she  been  doing  embroidery  all  of  the  time 
for  three  years  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  and  nice  sewing." 

I  thought  three  years  of  hard  labor,  from  five  in 
the  morning  till  eight  at  night,  must  accumulate 
quite  an  amount  in  value,  of  such  work,  beside  what 
was  done  at  intervals  of  two  or  three  hours  at  a  time, 
by  the  other  nine  women. 

Supervisor  might  have  exercised  her  thrift  in  sup 
porting  the  institution,  very  profitably,  by  selling  that 
embroidery  as  she  proposed  to  do  the  moth-eaten 
rags.  In  doing  that  she  might  obviate  the  necessity 
of  giving  the  officers  skimmed  milk  in  their  tea. 

I  inferred  that  that  three  years'  labor  was  a  per 
quisite  belonging  to  the  office  of  Supervisor.  In  ad 
dition  to  her  salary  she  was  making  a  profitable  af 
fair  of  her  sinecure  situation.  Far  more  advantage 
would  accrue  to  her  than  to  the  institution  in  having 
such  an  incumbent. 

Supervisor  of  what  ?  Of  her  own  housekeeping. 
The  very  best  of  employments  for  a  woman  if  she 
has  a  family. 


XII. 

SUNDAY. 

IT  was  Sunday  morning.  Sunday  was  our  busiest 
day,  because  our  meals  came  so  near  together. 

We  were  allowed  one  hour  more  of  sleep  on  this 
morning  than  on  the  others.  I  had  waked  at  the 
usual  hour,  but  settled  myself  comfortably  to  rest 
again  hoping  to  obtain  it.  Tinkle,  tinkle,  went  the 
bell  over  my  head.  I  paid  no  heed  to  it  for  a  mo 
ment.  Rattle,  rattle,  rattle  went  the  noisy  thing  for 
full  ten  minutes.  By  that  time,  vexation  had  ex 
pelled  all  drowsiness. 

I  vowed,  in  my  own  mind,  that  I  would  muffle  it 
the  next  Saturday  night,  in  .retaliation  for  the  un 
seasonable  summons.  At  first  I  determined  to  dis 
regard  the  call.  It  must  have  rung  from  habit. 

The  next  thought  that  suggested  itself  brought  me 
to  my  feet.  Perhaps  a  new  order  had  been  issued, 
and  subjected  to  the  approval  of  the  Board  at  that 
early  hour.  In  that  case  the  august  mandate  was  not 
to  be  disregarded.  I  rose,  unlocked  my  women,  and 
set  them  to  work. 

The  ringing  of  the  bell  so  early  proved  to  be  a 
mistake  of  the  watchman,  who  was  a  new  hand,  who 


SUNDAY.  103 

fearing  he  should  be  late,  gave  me  that  untimely 
warning.  I  judged,  from  that  circumstance,  that  the 
orders  were  as  distinctly  given,  and  the  duties  as 
definitely  arranged  on  the  other  side  as  on  ours. 

I  grudged  that  hour  of  lost  repose  both  for  my 
self  and  my  women.  I  was  hungry  for  rest ;  and  my 
women  were  worked  to  sheer  exhaustion. 

Sunday  all  of  the  women  were  unlocked  at  six 
o'clock.  They  were  called  out  of  their  rooms,  in  the 
same  order  as  on  other  days,  left  their  skillet  pans,  and 
the  quarts  in  which  they  had  taken  their  suppers  to 
their  cells  the  night  before,  at  the  slide,  as  they  went 
out.  They  were  marched  to  the  shop  to  wash  and  be 
dressed  for  chapel.  While  they  were  gone,  their 
dishes  were  washed,  and  their  breakfasts  put  into 
them  to  be  taken  to  their  rooms  when  they  returned 
to  them. 

At  nine  they  were  marched  to  chapel,  where  they 
remained  till  half-past  eleven  or  twelve,  when  they 
returned  to  take  their  dinners,  and  remain  in  their 
cells  till  half-past  one.  Then,  they  went  to  chapel 
again,  and  returned  at  three  to  take  their  suppers  to 
their  rooms,  and  be  locked  in. 

After  that  the  presence  of  only  one  Matron  was 
required  in  the  prison.  One  of  the  other  three  was 
required  to  remain  on  the  premises.  Two  might  go 
where  they  liked. 

Sunday  breakfast  and  supper  was  of  bread,  mush, 
and  rye  coffee,  the  same  as  other  days.  The  dinner 
was  of  roast  beef,  which  was  cooked  at  the  bake 
house,  and  sent  in  to  us  to  be  carved  and  served. 


104  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

The  gravy  was  to  be  made  in  the  kitchen,  and  the 
potatoes  steamed :  the  meat  and  potatoes  put  into 
the  pans,  and  the  gravy  poured  over  them. 

To  get  that  meat  to  its  right  destination  required 
sharp  care  on  my  part.  There  were  extra  women 
sent  in  from  the  wash-room  to  help  on  Sunday. 
They,  with  my  own,  were  possessed  with  a  disposition 
to  get  possession  of  the  greater  part  of  that  rarity. 

They  got  up  all  sorts  of  inventions  to  get  me  out 
of  the  room,  while  it  was  being  sliced,  in  order  to 
secrete  a  part  of  it  for  their  own  use,  the  next  day, 
and  for  that  of  their  favorites  among  the  prisoners. 

At  first  they  had  been  able  to  impose  upon  my 
ignorance,  but  at  this  time  I  had  learned  just  how 
much  two  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  of  meat  would 
divide  to  about  four  hundred  people.  I  had  learned 
their  "  tricks  and  their  manners  "  also,  so  that  it  had 
become  impossible  for  them  to  draw  me  from  my 
object,  which  was,  to  see  it  equally  divided. 

"An'  sure  ma'am,"  said  Bridget  O'Halloran; 
"  we're  wanting  the  pails  from  the  hospital." 

In  order  to  get  the  pails  I  must  go  to  the  outside 
door,  blow  my  whistle  to  call  a  runner,  wait  till  he 
came,  and  then  order  my  pails.  The  hint  was  just 
in  season.  Allen  had  taken  the  first  piece  on  her 
fork  to  commence  carving.  I  said  to  her,  — 

"  Don't  cut  that  meat  till  I  come  back,  not  one 
slice." 

I  then  ordered  in  the  pails,  and  bread  —  every 
thing  that  would  be  wanted  before  dinner,  and  took 


SUNDAY.  105 

my  station  at  the  table  with  the  determination  not  to 
be  drawn  away  from  it  upon  any  pretense. 

The  smell  of  the  meat  to  the  poor,  half-fed  things 
was  very  savory,  and  they  came  around  picking  up 
the  bits  which  fell  off  while  it  was  being  carved. 

'k  Please  ma'am,  give  me  a  bone,  — just  the  least 
bit  of  bone ! "  was  the  cry  perpetually  in  my  ears. 
And  the  bones  I  was  forced  to  give  to  their  impor 
tunity  as  fast  as  they  were  freed  from  the  meat. 

To  keep  their  fingers  from  that  meat  was  like 
fighting  eagles  from  a  dead  carcass.  '  , 

Bridget  O'Halloran's  ways  were  suspicious.  I 
thought  she  had  eluded  my  vigilance,  and  secreted 
some  of  it  in  spite  of  me.  I  kept  watch  of  her  mo 
tions  for  the  rest  of  the  day. 

I  noticed  that  she  visited  the  shed  very  frequently. 
If  I  wanted  her  I  was  continually  obliged  to  send  for 
her.  At  last  I  thought  I  would  go  myself  and  see 
what  attraction  that  old  shed  had  become  so  sud 
denly  possessed  of. 

When  I  discovered  her  she  was  stooping  down  in 
the  middle  of  the  building  without  any  apparent  ob 
ject  in  view. 

"  Bridget  —  I  want  you  in  the  kitchen  at  this 
moment ! " 

She  was  fumbling  about  her  stocking.  I  stood 
looking  at  her  while  she  was  apparently  arranging  it. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  your  stocking,  Bridg 
et?" 

"  Nothing,  ma'am  !  " 


106  WOMAN   TN  PRISON. 

She  colored,  was  confused,  and  started  with  the 
top  of  it  in  her  hand.  I  let  her  pass  on  before  me 
so  as  to  get  a  better  prospect  of  what  was  going  on. 

From  the  glimpse  that  I  got  of  her  leg  I  thought 
she  had  been  following  the  fashion  —  in  adopting 
false  calves.  In  hurrying  her  I  had  spoiled  the 
proper  adjustment  of  them,  and  they  had  slipped  to 
her  ankles.  I  intended  to  examine  into  the  case 
when  I  reached  the  kitchen;  but  an  explanation 
came  by  way  of  accident. 

In  order  to  make  more  speecj,  as  I  hurried  her  on 
before  me,  she  let  go  the  top  of  her  stocking,  the 
weight  of  what  was  in  it  brought  it  down  over  her 
shoe,  and  out  fell  two  or  three  slices  of  meat.  The 
cause  of  her  clumsiness  in  moving  was  explained, 
also  of  her  frequent  absences.  She  had  slily  slipped 
away  slice  after  slice,  one  at  a  time,  and  gone  into 
the  shed  to  secrete  them  in  that  safe  place. 

Under  my  eyes,  as  I  stood  looking  at  that  meat, 
she  had  done  it. 

"  Stop  !  pick  up  your  meat,  Bridget ! " 

"  It's  no  matter,  ma'am  !  " 

Her  face  was  ablaze  with  disappointment  and 
smothered  anger,  and  tears  filled  her  eyes. 

"  Stop,  and  pick  up  that  meat !  " 

She  did  so. 

"  Now  look  me  in  the  face !  " 

That  was  a  hard  command  for  her  to  fulfill ;  but 
she  looked  up  at  me. 

"  Caught  in  the  act  of  stealing !     You  do  not  in- 


SUNDAY.  107 

tend  to  treat  me  any  better  than  you  do  any  one 
else  ?  " 

"  I  did  not  mean  it  against  you,  —  indeed  I 
didn't ! " 

"  Every  rule  that  you  disobey  is  something  done 
against  me." 

"  I  suppose  you  will  report  me ;  but  I  was  awful 
hungry." 

"The  rest  of  the  prisoners  are  awful  hungry; 
you  are  no  worse  off  than  they  when  you  share 
equally  with  them ;  but  if  you  rob  them,  in  order  to 
help  yourself  to  more  than  they  have,  you  make 
them  worse  off." 

"  I  did  not  think  of  that.  I  work  hard,  and  I 
earn  a  good  living,  and  I  mean  to  get  it  if  I  could. 
It's  a  shame  for  me  to  go  hungry  when  I  work  so 
hard." 

"If  you  steal  food  here,  Bridget,  you  steal  it 
from  your  fellow-prisoners,  not  from  the  institu 
tion.  There  is  just  so  much  allowed  for  you  all,  and 
the  rest  won't  get  any  more,  in  any  way,  if  you  take 
it  from  them.  They  must  go  without  if  you  have  it ; 
and  they  work  just  as  hard  as  you,  and  get  no  more 
for  it." 

"  It  makes  me  awful  mad  to  think  I  work  so  hard, 
and  don't  get  any  pay  for  it." 

"  Then  you  ought  not  to  come  here.  You  have 
been  here  before,  and  you  knew  just  how  it  was  before 
you  did  the  wrong  which  brought  you  here.  You 
were  sent  here  to  work  hard,  for  nothing,  for  a  pun 
ishment." 


108  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  Others  do  worse  than  I,  and  they  don't  come 
here.  If  those  that  put  me  here  had  their  dues 
they'd  be  here  too ! " 

That  was  the  continual  rejoinder. 

"  May  be ;  but  how  are  you  going  to  help  that  ? 
You  will  have  about  as  much  as  you  can  do  to  attend 
to  your  own  case.  Only  think  of  what  you  have 
been  doing ;  robbing  another  person  as  badly  off 
as  you  are.  You  ought  to  have  pity  on  each  other, 
if  no  else  has  pity  on  you !  You  ought  to  respect 
the  rights  of  your  fellow-prisoners,  —  they  have  done 
you  no  harm  ! " 

"  I  will ;  but  I  was  so  hungry  and  the  meat 
smelt  so  good  ;  and  I  did  not  think  of  them.  If  you 
worked  as  I  do,  and  was  real  hungry,  and  saw  the 
meat,  wouldn't  you  take  it  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  Bridget ;  I  have  not  had  the 
temptation." 

The  word  temptation  sounded  out  from  the  other 
words  that  I  had  been  using,  fearfully  loud  when  I 
pronounced  it.  A  nice  slice  of  roast  beef  was  a 
strong  temptation  to  those  hungry  women.  They 
were  allowed  enough  to  tantalize  but  not  to  satisfy 
them. 

By  being  kept  without  enough  to  satisfy  their 
hunger  they  were  led  into  sin,  if  it  be  a  sin  for 
them  to  help  themselves  to  more  than  their  share. 
They  were  led  to  disobey  the  rules,  which  involved 
punishment  if  they  were  detected.  It  would  cer 
tainly  undermine  their  health  to  work  so  many  hours 


SUNDAY.  109 

as  they  were  obliged  to  without  a  suitable  amount 
of  food  to  produce  recuperation. 

"  Are  you  hungry  enough  to  eat  that  meat  after  it 
has  been  in  your  stocking,  and  on  this  floor  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am  ;  it  ain't  hurt  it  any.  I'll  eat  it  if 
you'll  give  it  to  me." 

"Eat  it!" 

She  brushed  the  dust  off  it  with  her  hand,  tore  it 
apart  with  her  fingers,  and  put  it  in  her  mouth. 

"  Bridget,  don't  ever  take  any  more,  and  secrete  it 
without  my  knowledge." 

"  No,  ma'am  ;  and  you  wont  report  me  now." 

"  I  gave  you  the  meat.     How  can  I  report  you  ?  " 

"Thank  you!" 

"If  you  are  ever  so  hungry,  don't  you  put  any 
away  for  yourself  without  asking  me!" 

"  No,  ma'am  !  " 

Perhaps  she  will  not.  The  fear  of  punishment, 
in  a  solitary  cell,  had  not  deterred  her  from  taking 
the  meat.  Perhaps  pity  for  her  fellow-prisoners 
would  not ;  nor  the  desire  to  please  me. 

That  evening  I  heard  the  Matrons  discussing  the 
music  by  the  quartette  choir  in  the  chapel  of  the 
prison. 

"  You  have  a  hired  choir  ?  '*     I  asked. 

"  Yes,  and  an  organ  ?  " 

That  information  sounded  strangely  in  contrast 
with  the  scanty  meals  and  the  solitary  cells. 

Where  does  the  praise  of  God  come  in  ? 


XIII. 

LIFE    AMONG    THE    LOWLY. 

AFTER  the  kitchen  was  put  in  order,  that  Sunday 
afternoon,  I  gathered  the  women  around  me,  and 
read  a  story  to  them,  from  a  religious  newspaper. 

I  also  read  them  one  of  the  Saviour's  parables. 
Then,  I  talked  with  them  so  as  to  find  out  what  ideas 
they  entertained  of  themselves,  and  the  lives  they 
had  led. 

"  What  are  you  in  here  for,  Sarah  ?  "  I  asked  of  a 
smart,  bright,  active  woman.  As  she  was  among 
convicts  she  was  called  bold ;  but  if  she  were  work 
ing  outside  she  would  be  called  a  smart,  capable 
woman.  If  any  notice  were  taken  of  her  ways  she 
would  be  just  remarked  as  independent. 

"  For  shoplifting,  ma'am; "  and  with  a  toss  of  her 
head,  that  was  intended  to  ward  off  reproof,  she 
added,  "When  I  go  out  of  here  I  will  do  just  so 
again.  I'll  take  five  dollars  for  every  day  they've  left 
me  here." 

"  Then  you  will  get  detected,  and  brought  back 
again." 

"  No,  ma'am  !     I'll  look  out  for  that." 

"  You  cannot ;  you  may  be  sure  your  sin  will  find 


LIFE  AMONG    THE  LOWLY.  Ill 

you  out.  If  you  break  God's  commandment, '  Thou 
shalt  not  steal/  his  eye  is  on  you,  He  will  see  it, 
and  surely  punish  you  for  it.  It  may  be  by  coming 
here,  and  it  may  be  in  some  other  way." 

"  Til  risk  all  He'll  do  to  me  if  I  don't  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  police,  and  get  in  here." 

"That's  my  case,"  said  Bridget.  "The  Lord 
knows  just  how  poor  we  are,  and  how  hard  it  is  for  us 
to  get  along;  and  He  knows  how  the  rich  folks 
crowds  on  us,  and  He  pities  us.  And  He  knows 
how  they  lie,  and  cheat,  and  steal  from  each  other, 
—  and  He  won't  punish  us  any  more  nor  He  does 
them." 

"  It  will  make  no  difference  to  you  what  they  do 
to  each  other,  or  what  He  does  to  them.  You  will 
not  have  to  answer  for  their  misconduct,  nor  be  pun 
ished  for  it.  You  will  only  suffer  for  the  commands 
which  you  break." 

"  We  shall  get  into  their  company  once  where  they 
can't  put  on  airs  over  us  ;  and  that'll  be  a  great 
comfort.  I  hope  I  shall  be  there  when  some  of  'em 
go  to  judgment." 

"  If  you  are  you  may  have  enough  to  do  to  attend 
to  your  own  affairs." 

"  If  I  was  in  the  lower  end  of  the  d — 1's  kitchen,  I 
shouldn't  be  too  busy  to  see  them  sprinkled  with 
brimstone." 

"  Hush,  Bridget !  that  is  revenge  !  " 

"We  can't  help  it,"  said  the  ever  ready  O'Brien. 
"  I'd  like  to  pay  them  back  what  they've  done  to  me. 


112  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

Don't  you  suppose  we've  got  human  feelings  ?  Only 
think  what  that  miserable  Hardback  has  made  me 
suffer  in  solitary.  Wouldn't  I  make  her  suffer  back 
again  ?  I'd  beat  her  till  she  couldn't  stand,  the  first 
time  I  meet  her,  if  it  wasn't  for  getting  another  sen 
tence.  One  girl  did  give  her  an  awful  pommeling, 
and  scratched  her  face ;  and  she  got  another  six 
months  for  it." 

"  O  Annie,  that  is  a  bad  temper  ! "  but  I  thought  I 
would  study  her  still  further.  "  I  don't  see  why  just 
the  idea  of  being  punished  should  make  you  so  an 
gry.  I  had  you  punished.  What  would  tempt  you 
to  strike  me  ?  " 

"  Nothing  on  earth,  ma'am !  I  would  stand 
between  you  and  a  blow  if  it  broke  my  head." 

"  But  I  had  you  locked  in  solitary." 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  and  you  was  sorry  for  it,  and  I  de 
served  it.  But  when  they  lock  me  up  for  nothing  it 
makes  me  mad." 

"  Who  is  to  be  judge  of  when  you  deserve  it  ?  It 
would  not  do  to  leave  it  to  you.  You  would  never 
think  you  deserved  it." 

"  You  are  mistaken  there,  ma'am.  Didn't  I  tell 
you  to  report  me  when  I  was  locked  up  ?  Didn't  I 
say  that  I  deserved  it  ?  You  might  have  some  of  us 
locked  up  every  day,  if  you  were  a  mind  to ;  but  it 
wouldn't  make  us  a  bit  better." 

"  It  would  make  me  very  unhappy  to  do  that.  It 
would  make  me  sick  at  heart  to  see  you  such  bad 
women  as  that." 


LIFE  AMONG   THE  LOWLY.  113 

"  "We  know  it,  and  that  keeps  us  from  a  great 
many  things.  But  you  might,  for  what  we  do,  if  you 
had  a  mind  to,  just  to  show  your  authority.  You 
don't  get  mad,  and  we  don't.  You  try  to  make  us 
better,  and  we  wouldn't  any  of  us  be  mean  enough  to 
do  wrong  on  purpose." 

"  I  could  not  have  you  punished  when  I  see  that 
you  are  trying  to  do  right.  It  is  when  you  do  wrong, 
and  are  determined  to  do  wrong,  that  I  shall  have  you 
punished.  I  see  that  you  are  improving  in  governing 
your  temper,  Annie.  You  don't  get  angry  so  easily 
as  you  used  to,  and  you  don't  give  way  to  it  when 
you  "are  angry,  as  you  did  two  or  three  weeks  ago." 

"  I  don't  think  I  do ;  but  I  should  if  you  got  mad 
and  scolded  me.  If  I  do  anything  wrong,  you  turn 
round  so  calm,  and  talk  to  me  so,  it  makes  me 
ashamed  ;  and  I  think  of  it  when  I  want  to  do  it 
again,  and  it  keeps  me  from  it,  because  I  know  you'd 
make  me  ashamed  again.  You  have  the  upper 
hands  of  me.  When  I  was  in  the  shop,  Hardback 
would  get  mad  and  scold  me,  and  that  would  make 
me  mad,  and  I  would  sauce  her ;  and  then  I  got  pun 
ished.  If  she  hadn't  got  mad  first  I  shouldn't." 

It  occurred  to  me  that  the  officers  of  the  institu 
tion  would  do  well  to  study  the  rule  of  the  Board 
which  directs  that  "no  irritating  language"  be  used 
to  the  prisoners.  The  provision  was  a  goo:!  one.  It 
needed  an  additional  quality,  the  oversight  which 
compelled  it  to  be  carried  out. 

"  If  I  were  to  get  angry  and  scold  I  could  hardly 


114  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

have  confidence  to  teach  you  to  be  gentle  and  good- 
tempered.  Now,  Sarah,  as  you  are  only  here  Sun 
day,  let  us  talk  about  the  crime  that  brought  you 
into  this  place." 

"  It  wasn't  a  crime,  ma'am.  I'm  sure  I  only  took 
from  the  rich.  I  never  lifted  from  any  but  the  big 
stores  where  they  lie  and  steal  and  make  fortunes. 
I  never  went  into  any  of  the  little  small  places,  where 
they  are  trying  hard  for  a  living.  I  wouldn't  be 
guilty  of  such  a  mean  thing." 

"  Honor  among  thieves,"  says  the  old  proverb. 

"  But  it  did  not  belong  to  you,  without  regard  to  the 
way  they  got  it.  You  gave  nothing  in  return  for  it." 

"  It  did  not  belong  to  them,  either.  It  belonged 
to  me  as  much  as  it  did  to  them.  It  would  be  hard 
telling  who  the  right  owner  is.  I  thought  I  might  as 
well  have  my  share." 

"I  do  not  see  that  you  had  any  share  in  it.  You 
were  taking  that  for  which  you  made  no  return  to 
any  one,  and  that  was  stealing." 

"If  it  had  belonged  to  them  it  would  be  stealing. 
They  take  it,  and  dress  their  children  up,  and  make"  a 
great  show  on  it.  My  children  are  as  good  as  theirs. 
Don't  you  suppose  I  want  them  drest  up  as  nice 
when  they  go  to  school,  and  look  like  other  children  ? 
I  can't  earn  the  things  if  I  work  ever  so  hard,  so  I 
lift  from  those  that  cheat  out  of  others." 

u  Do  you  see  what  examples  you  are  setting  them  ? 
You  are  bringing  them  up  to  be  thieves ;  and  in 
stead  of  the  fine  things  which  you  covet  for  them, 
they  will  be  drest  in  the  same  uniform  that  you  are." 


LIFE  AMONG   THE  LOWLY.  115 

"  Never,  ma'am ;  never !  my  children  shall  never 
be  thieves ! " 

"  But  they  will  do  as  you  do." 

"  No,  ma'am,  they  will  not  do  as  I  do.  They  shall 
not.  They  go  to  day-school,  and  to  Sunday-school, 
and  say  their  prayers  at  night.  They  will  never  do 
as  their  mother  does  !  " 

In  saying  that  she  choked  down  the  sobs  that 
rose  in  her  throat,  and  brushed  off  the  tears  that 
were  gathered  in  her  eyes,  just  ready  to  run  over 
the  hardy  old  cheeks. 

"  If  they  grow  up  to  think  differently  from  what 
you  do,  — to  look  upon  the  sin  of  stealing  as  it  really 
is,  —  they  will  be  greatly  grieved  that  you  have  com 
mitted  such  acts.  They  will  be  ashamed  of  the 
clothes  you  have  stolen  for  them.  Every  time  they 
look  at  them  they  will  think,  my  mother  stole  this 
dress.  They  will  think  everybody  knows  that  she 
stole  it.  They  will  be  ashamed  to  look  any  one  in 
the  face.  The  other  children  will  taunt  them  with 
it,  and  they  will  be  miserable,  and  they  will  turn  it 
back  upon  you.  They  will  blush  for  their  mother; 
then,  how  can  they  respect  or  love  her ! " 

If  there  were  a  tender  spot  in  that  mother's  heart 
I  meant  to  probe  it,  and  I  succeeded.  She  covered 
her  lace  with  her  hands,  and  her  chest  heaved.  The 
big  tears  made  their  way  through  her  fingers.  She 
was  determined  to  brave  it  out.  In  a  very  few  mo 
ments  she  mastered  her  emotions,  and  answered 
me, — 


116  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  They  don't  know  what  I  do,  and  they  never  shall 
know  it." 

"  Don't  they  know  where  you  are  now  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am ! " 

"  Where  do  they  think  you  are  ?  " 

"  Gone  a  journey." 

"  You  may  deceive  them  that  way  for  a  time ;  but 
you  are  only  adding  sin  to  sin.  God  says  *  the  iniq 
uities  of  the  parents  shall  be  visited  upon  the  chil 
dren.'  You  may  be  sure  that  they  will  know  it  in 
the  end.  It  was  put  in  the  papers  when  you  came 
here.  It  is  imposible  to  conceal  what  you  have  done, 
and  where  your  sin  has  brought  you." 

"  I  didn't  come  here  in  my  own  name." 

"  Every  one  in  here  knows  your  real  name  ;  so  do 
all  of  your  acquaintances  outside.  You  cannot  save 
your  children  the  knowledge  and  disgrace  of  your 
crime.  Then,  consider  what  you  suffer  from  it." 

"  I  don't  care  what  I  suffer,  if  I  can  only  get  the 
things  for  them.  Talking  is  one  thing,  and  living 
another.  My  children  shall  look  as  well  as  the  best 
of  them  they  go  with." 

That  one  idea  had  been  ground  into  her  mind  by 
the  force  of  her  associations — the  one  idea  of  dress. 
It  was  in  those  above,  around,  below  her.  She  had 
adopted  it  unconsciously,  irresistibly. 

The  mother's  love  and  pride  were  in  that  woman's 
heart  in  all  their  strength,  and  they  had  been  devel 
oped  by  the  circumstances  around  her.  She  did  not 
care  what  she  suffered  if  they  could  only  be  supplied 


LIFE  AMONG   THE  LOWLY.  117 

with  the  good  things  which  she  valued  because  she 
saw  the  whole  world  setting  the  high  price  upon 
them.  Body  and  soul  might  be  the  sacrifice  ;  no 
matter,  so  she  obtained  them.  Into  what  a  strangely 
perverted  channel  had  that  mother's  love  run.  Was 
that  noblest,  best  of  woman's  instincts  to  destroy 
that  woman's  human  life,  and  ruin  her  soul  ?  God 
knows  !  He  also  knows  how  much  of  her  sin  rests 
upon  those  who  profess  to  be  following  after  better 
things ;  but  have  set  her  the  example  to  make  the 
obtaining  of  dress  the  business  of  her  life ;  and 
placed  the  temptation  in  her  way  to  do  it  dishon 
estly. 

How  much  of  the  guilt  he  who  causes  his  brother 
to  offend  ought  to  bear,  must  be  decided  by  the 
Higher  Judgment. 

"  If  God  had  seen  fit  to  gratify  your  pride,  in  your 
children,  He  would  have  provided  a  way  for  you  in 
which  you  could  have  done  it  honestly.  As  he  did 
not,  you  ought  to  have  submitted  to  your  lot,  and 
done  the  best  that  you  could." 

How  hollow  those  words  sounded  to  me  as  they 
came  from  my  lips.  How  easy  it  is  to  preach  sound 
doctrine.  How  hard  to  make  an  impression,  with  it, 
upon  minds  and  hearts  established  in  their  own 
opinions  of  right  and  wrong,  and  persistent  in  the 
determination  to  follow  the  wrong  !  If  I  could  have 
had  that  woman  under  my  influence  a  year,  I  might 
have  led  her  into  different  views  and  ways.  She  was 
not  wholly  hardened,  as  her  tears  showed. 


118  WOMAN  IN  PHIS  ON. 

"  God  did  intend  that  I  should  have  it,  and  that 
was  His  way  of  giving  it  to  me.  He  made  me  light- 
fingered,  and  gave  me  a  chance  to  help  myself.  I'm 
willing  to  leave  it  to  Him.  I  don't  believe  He  will 
judge  me  any  harder  than  He  will  those  I  took  it 
from." 

She  fell  back  again  upon  what  others  do.  I  had 
made  no  progress  in  dispossessing  her  of  the  idea 
that  the  wrong  of  another  mitigated  her  own. 

"  The  command  reads,  '  Thou  shalt  not  steal.'  If 
the  men  that  keep  those  large  stores  steal,  you  are 
not  responsible  for  it.  It  is  only  for  what  you  do 
that  you  will  be  called  to  give  an  account." 

"  Line  upon  line,"  I  thought.  "  I  hope  you  will 
never  come  in  here  again/' 

"  I  never  mean  to,"  and  she  nodded  her  head  as 
much  as  to  say,  I'll  be  bright  enough  to  avoid  that. 

"  I  hope  you  will  never  again  do  the  things  that 
brought  you  here." 

"  I  shall,  ma'am.  For  every  day  I'm  in  here,  I'll 
have  five  dollars  out  of  'em." 

She  did  not  say  this  so  vauntingly  as  she  had 
made  the  assertion  at  first.  Still  there  was  the 
spirit  of  retaliation,  of  revenge,  upon  some  one  for 
her  punishment. 

"  In  doing  that,  who  do  you  think  you  will  spite  ?  " 

She  stopped  to  think  a  moment.  The  question 
had  taken  her  at  unawares. 

"  I  don't  know.     Them  that  put  me  here." 

"  But  if  you  go  into  their  store,  they  will  know  you, 
and  watch  you,  and  you  will  get  caught  again." 


LIFE  AMONG    THE  LOWLY.  119 

"  Then  I'll  have  it  out  of   some  of  the  rest  of 
them." 

"  How  will  that  spite  the  ones  that  sent  you  here  ?  " 
"  They're  all  alike.     It  won't  make  any  difference 
which  I  take  it  from." 

"  They  are  not  all  alike,  any  more  than  you  and  I 
are  alike  because  we,  just  now,  happen  to  be  in  the 
same  place.  If  you  go  out  of  here  and  steal  againf 
you  spite  yourself,  and  the  punishment  for  it  will  fall 
upon  your  own  head,  and  on  the  heads  of  those  poor 
children  that  you  have  brought  into  the  world. 
Those  poor  little  things  that  are  bone  of  your  bone, 
and  flesh  of  your  flesh.  Does  not  the  mother-heart 
melt  within  you  in  pity  for  those  children  when  they 
come  to  find  out  that  their  mother  is  a  thief?  O 
Sarah,  if  you  are  not  afraid  of  God's  judgment, 
which  is  the  most  fearful  thing  that  can  overtake 
you,  let  your  children  be  in  your  thoughts  when  you 
go  to  take  what  is  not  your  own,  and  turn  you  from 
your  wicked  purpose." 

"  She  tells  ye  the  truth,"  said  McMullins.  "  And 
only  think  of  me!  Here  I  am.  the  mither  of  five 
beautiful  chilter  as  ye  ever  set  eyes  on.  And  me 
heart  is  sick  after  them.  The  lads  are  with  the 
father,  and  the  little  girls  are  in  the  alms  house. 
Only  think  what  a  mither  I  am  !  I  have  ruined  me- 
self  for  life,  and  damned  me  soul  to  hell  forever." 

"  I  don't  believe  anything  about  a  hell,"  said  Lis- 
sett.  But  she  moved  uneasily  on  her  seat.  It  was 
easy  to  shake  off  the  terror  at  the  end  of  her  tongue ; 


120  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

but  it  was  to  be  seen  that  she  was  haunted  by  a  fear 
of  it  in  a  conscience  not  quite  seared. 

"  Indade,  there  is.  The  praist  has  always  told  me 
that,  and  I've  got  it  already  whin  I  think  what  a 
mither  I've  been.  God  pity  !  God  pity  me  !  "  This 
she  said  amidst  sobs  and  tears. 

"  What  kind  of  a  wife  were  you,  McMullins  ?  " 
"  I  don't  care  so  much  for  the  old  man,  he  used  to 
bate  me  sometimes,  and  he  says  he'll  never  live  wid 
me  any  more.  The  minister  went  to  see  him  for  me, 
and  he  told  him  I  had  disgraced  him  ;  that  he  was 
fond  of  me  once,  but  I  had  disgraced  him,  and  put 
the  chilter  in  the  almshouse,  and  he  would  live  wid 
me  no  more.  Do  you  think  he  will  ?  Only  think 
what  a  miserable  wife  I've  been  !  God  pity  me  ! " 
"  What  did  you  come  in  here  for  McMullins  ?  " 
"  It  was  all  for  a  gallon  measure,  and  a  pint  of 
beer.  I  wint  in  a  store,  and  there  stood  a  gallon 
measure,  and  a  pint  of  ale  widin  it.  An'  sure  I 
drank  the  beer  like  a  sinsible  woman  ;  but  I  didn't 
know  what  to  do  wid  the  gallon  measure,  and  I  car 
ried  it  to  a  policeman,  and  told  him  to  take  it.  An' 
sure  he  brought  me  wid  it  to  the  watch-house,  and 
thin,  to  the  court,  an'  sure  they  gave  me  a  year. 
Wasn't  it  too  bad  to  give  me  the  making  of  a  year  in 
here  for  jist  a  pint  of  beer  and  a  gallon  measure  ? 
Wasn't  it  a  long  sintence  for  a  pint  of  beer,  and  a 
gallon  measure  ?  " 

"  I  think  you  must  have  had  something  before  you 
took  the  pint  of  beer  and  the  gallon  measure  ?  " 


LIFE  AMONG    THE  LOWLY.  121 

"  An'  sure  I  had ;  but  it  was  on  that  I  lost  my 
sinses,  and  got  me  sintence." 

<k  You  have  been  here  before,  havn't  you  ?" 

"  An'  sure  I  have." 

"  You  were  put  here,  probably,  to  keep  you  out  of 
the  way  of  temptation.  If  you  were  out  you  would, 
probably,  take  another  pint  of  beer  and  gallon  meas 
ure  the  first  thing  you  did." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  could  help  it." 

"  I  don't  think  you  could." 

I  turned  to  one  of  the  other  women  and  asked : 
"What  are  you  in  here  for,  O'Sullivan  ?  " 

"  For  a  home,"  said  the  slide  woman,  sharply. 

"  Yrou  must  have  a  curious  taste  to  choose  this  for 
a  home." 

"  I  had  no  other.  The  man  what's  the  father  of 
my  child  told  rne  to  steal  a  dress,  and  get  in  here, 
and  be  taken  care  of.  I  stole  the  dress,  and  he  in 
formed  on  me,  and  I  came  here." 

"  Why  didn't  he  take  care  of  you  himself,  after 
bringing  that  trouble  upon  you  ?  " 

"  He  couldn't.  He  give  me  all  his  earnings  ;  but 
couldn't  get  work  enough  to  do  it  all." 

"  An'  sure  he's  nothing  but  a  miserable  drunkard 
hisself,"  said  McMullins. 

"  It  don't  become  the  likes  of  you  to  say  much 
about  it  if  he  is  !  "  snapped  back  O'Sullivan. 

A  poor,  old  reprobate,  from  the  wash-house,  whose 
hair  was  once  red,  now  gray,  sat  next. 

"  What  are  you  here  for,  granny  ?  "  I  asked. 


122  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  An'  sure  they  swore  a  theft  on  me.  I  didn't  de- 
sarve  it  I  lived  with  a  German  family  on  Rust 
Street.  They  missed  a  solid  hundred  dollars,  and  I 
never  saw  it  no  more  nor  a  child  unborn.  But  they 
got  the  sintence  of  ten  years  on  me." 

"  How  long  have  you  been  here,  granny  ?  " 

"  Since  seven  years  last  Christmas." 

A  Ions  sentence,  if  it  is  the  first  one.  I  was  sure 
it  was  not.  A  long  life  full  of  transgressions  of  the 
law  stretched  itself  upon  her  past  history. 

"  What  are  you  here  for,  Nellie  ?  "  I  asked  a 
girl  not  twenty. 

"  A  handsome  Balmoral  skirt  took  my  fancy,  and 
I'm  here  for  it.  I  took  a  sup  of  liquor,  and  I  was  as 
rich  as  a  Jew.  I  thought  the  Balmoral  and  all  that 
I  saw  was  mine." 

"  It  is  glorious  to  feel  so  rich  ! "  said  Lissett.     "  I 

o 

mean  to  get  a  sup  of  liquor  before  I  get  back  into 
the  city." 

"  And  be  brought  directly  back  here  again." 
"  I  shall  have  that  one  time  on  them." 
"  On  yourself,  you  mean.     It   is   all  on    yourself. 
The  law  does  not  suffer,  nor  do  those  who  execute  it, 
for  your  being  here." 

It  was  evidently  a  new  aspect  of  the  subject  that 
they  were. the  greatest  sufferers  for  their  misdoing. 
"  It  plagues  them,  or  they  wouldn't  put  me  here." 
"It  is   not  because   you   plague  them;   it  is  be 
cause  that  you  injure  others  that  you  are  put  here." 
The  spirit  of  revenge,  upon  some  one,  for  the  pun- 


LIFE  AMONG    THE  LOWLY.  123 

ishment  they  were  receiving,  was  the  one  that  was 
uppermost  in  their  minds.  Revenge  against  those 
whom  they  had  injured  in  the  beginning;  against 
those  who  made  th.e  laws,  or  the  officials  who  ex 
ecuted  them.  Their  idea  of  revenge  \vas  to  commit 
the  same  deed  again. 

"  Don't  you  all  feel  ashamed  of  what  you  have 
done,"  I  asked,  "when  you  think  of  it?" 

"  Yes,  we  do,  that's  the  truth,"  said  Annie 
O'Brien.  "  But's  of  no  use.  Nobody  will  ever  think 
anything  of  us  again,  after  we  have  been  in  here,  and 
its  no  use  to  try  to  do  any  better  ;  and  we  just  do  as, 
bad  as  we  can." 

"  But  the  All-seeing  Eye  is  watching  you,  and,  if 
you  try  to  do  right,  will  help  you  along.  And  in  the 
life  to  come,  where  all  hearts  are  known,  you  will 
get  your  recompense.  Then,  if  you  are  really  trying 
to  do  right  you  will  be  thought  of  and  loved." 

"It  is  a  great  while  to  wait  for  that,  and  it  is  hard." 

"I  know  it  is  hard;  but  it  cannot  be  long.  It 
may  be  that  we  go  at  any  moment ;  and  then,  it  is 
forever  and  forever." 

"  If  we  could  only  keep  that  in  our  minds  —  but 
we  forget  it." 

"  You  cannot  of  yourself.  But  if  you  ask  the 
Father  of  your  spirit  to  take  your  thoughts  under 
his  control,  He  will,  and  help  you  to  think." 

Poor  things !  They  were  ignorant  of  the  way 
to  control  themselves.  They  had  few  to  teach  them 
in  it,  and  none  to  help  them  in  their  personal  efforts 
to  overcome  the  evil  dispositions  so  long  indulged  in. 


124  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

That  night,  when  I  went  into  the  hospital,  for  the 
closing  inspection,  the  nurse  was  grumbling  about 
the  trouble  one  of  the  women  had  given  her. 

"  Indeed,  ma'am,  this  is  the  awfulcst  place  a 
woman  can  get  into  !  " 

o 

I  thought  I  would  give  her  a  hint  that  it  was  her 
own  misdoings  that  brought  her  there. 

"  What  brought  you  in  here,  Mary  ?  "  I  asked. 

"I  made  my  fingers  too  nimble  with  a  man's 
pocket-book/' 

"  You  did !  then  you  don't  deserve  a  very  good 
place,  do  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  got  my  pay  for  it." 

"  How  came  you  to  do  such  a  thing  ?  " 

"  He  left  some  money  with  me  to  keep,  and  I  did 
keep  it  so  as  he  couldn't  get  it  again.  He  got 
drunk,  and  I  thought  perhaps  he  wouldn't  remember 
it  agin." 

"Men  don't  forget  their  money  so  easily." 

"  So  I  found  to  my  cost." 

"  What  did  you  do  with  the  money  ?  " 

"  I  spent  it  for  things  that  I  wanted." 

"You  will  hardly  try  that  again  if  you  ever  have 
the  chance." 

"  No,  ma'am  !  I  could  have  earned  the  two  hundred 
and  eighty  dollars  that  I  took  in  half  the  time  I  have 
been  here,  and  had  my  liberty  too." 

"You  knew  it  was  wrong  when  you  took  the 
money  and  used  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am ;  but  I  wanted  the  things,  and  the 


LIFE  AMONG    THE  LOWLY.  125 

money  was  in  my  hand  to  buy  'em.  The  things 
would  be  of  use  ;  and  I  knew  that  drunken  fellow 
would  waste  it  if  he  had  it." 

Another  specimen  of  specious  reasoning ;  nor  is 
that  kind  of  reasoning  confined  to  convicts. 

"  It  was  not  yours ;  you  had  no  right  to  it,  and 
that  ought  to  have  been  sufficient  for  you.  If  he 
wasted  it  in  drunkenness  that  was  his  sin,  not  yours. 
You  could  have  restrained  him  through  the  laws  that 
punish  drunkenness.  You  could  have  told  him  how 
wrong  he  was  doing,  and  set  him  a  better  example. 
Instead  of  that  you  stole,  and  he  got  drunk.  You 
made  yourself  as  bad  as  he." 

"I  did  not  think  of  that." 

"  I  hope  this  has  taught  you  a  lesson  that  you  will 
never  forget,  —  one  that  will  make  you  think. 
Before  you  had  this  punishment  you  had  not  the 
strength  to  resist  the  temptation  to  take  the  money. 
Now  you  will  always  remember  what  you  have  suf 
fered  here,  and  you  will  not  be  likely  to  do  it  again." 

"  No,  ma'am,  I  don't  think  I  shall.  This  is  harder 
than  working  for  a  living  outside,  besides  the  rough 
handling  we  get.  A  poor  living  at  that,  and  poorer 
clothes.  And  you  officers  don't  fare  much  better. 
You  get  a  little  better  feed,  and  a  better  bed,  and  a 
little  pay  ;  but  not  so  much  rest ;  and  you  are  in  as 
close  confinement  as  we  are." 

l"  But  we  are  not  prisoners  ;  we  can  go  if  we  like." 

"  What  do  you  stay  here  for ;  you  don't  seem  fit 
for  such  work,  and  you  might  earn  a  great  deal  more 
outside,  and  not  work  so  hard  ?  " 


126  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

I  may  be  able  to  teach  a  few  of  you,  poor  things, 
to  live  right  when  you  go  outside,  and  that  will  be 
better  to  me  than  money." 

"  God  bless  you  !  that  is  what  we  want.  There  is 
many  a  one  of  us  would  be  glad  to  live  right  if  we 
knew  how." 

"  There  are  some  that  only  grow  harder  for  com 
ing  here,  and  do  as  bad  again,  and  come  back." 

"  0,  yes !  they  think  they're  prison  birds,  and 
there's  nothing  more  for  'em  in  this  world,  and  they 
don't  care.  Nobody  likes  to  have  such  as  we  about 
'em." 

"  But  there  are  people  that  would  help  you  to 
lead  a  better  life,  and  earn  an  honest  living,  if  you 
could  find  them." 

"  They  might  find  us,  but  it  is  hard  for  us  to  find 
them." 

That  was  a  very  true  remark.  Our  prisons  are 
prominent  institutions  in  the  land.  It  is  easy  for 
any  one  who  is  interested  in  the  cause  of  humanity 
to  find  them  ;  but  to  get  access  to  them  is  a  more 
difficult  undertaking,  as  many  can  testify  who  have 
attempted  it.  I  leave  them  to  tell  their  own  tale,  and 
let  it  bear  its  own  testimony.  It  is  easy  to  find  the 
poor  wretches  who  are  compelled  to  take  up  their 
abode  within  them,  and  do  them  good  if  one  wills. 

What  a  page  of  life  was  revealed  to  me  in  that 
one  day !  What  a  work  is  there  here  for  you  to  do, 
O  women  of  this  broad  land,  for  your  fellow  woman, 
if  you  will  address  yourselves  to  it ! 


XIV. 

INSPECTION    OF     PRIVATE   APARTMENTS. 

IT  required  the  exercise  of  a  large  share  of  physi 
cal  courage  to  enter,  and  examine  into  the  condition 
of  the  private  apartments  of  my  boarders. 

I  shrank  away  from  the  task  in  loathing.  Low, 
narrow,  confined,  they  were  like  the  cages  of  wild 
animals. 

The  human  odor  of  the  occupants  had  penetrated 
the  walls  and  made  the  air  noisome.  They  were 
ventilated  through  the  bars  of  the  door,  and  an  ap- 
perture  of  five  or  six  inches  in  diameter  in  the  inner 
wall  of  the  cell ;  but  being  used  for  all  purposes, 
they  would  have  remained  uncleansed  had  every  care 
been  taken. 

I  went  to  the  door  of  one,  and  looked  in.  I 
shivered,  dreaded  to  enter,  turned  away.  I  went 
along  to  another.  It  looked  comparatively  tidy.  A 
little  white  cloth  embroidered  around  the  edge  with 
gay-colored  thread,  was  laid  carefully  over  the  box. 
I  stood  and  looked  in  while  I  reasoned  with  myself 
to  screw  my  courage  to  the  sticking- point. 

I  put  my  head  within  the  door,  the  bugs  were 
crawling  along  the  walls,  and  the  white-wash  was 


128  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

spotted  with  marks  of  the  violent  death  which  had 
befallen  many  of  them  the  night  before.  Again  I 
shrank  back  in  disgust.  I  called  the  white-wash 
woman  to  come  with  her  brush  and  cover  up  the 
filthy  sight,  if  she  could  not  cleanse  the  dirt  away. 

If  the  sight  is  so  revolting,  what  must  it  be  to  sleep 
among  them,  to  be  lodged  with,  and  fed  upon  by 
them.  I  worked  up  my  feelings  of  pity  for  the  poor 
prisoners  till  my  disgust  was  partially  overcome. 

The  rats  and  mice  can  come  in  at  the  open  doors, 
and  there  is  no  obstacle  to  such  ingress  of  bed-bugs. 
Indeed  such  armies  of  them  as  I  beheld  could  hardly 
have  made  their  entrance  in  any  other  way.  There 
they  were  in  swarms,  and  had  planted  their  colonies 
upon  the  solid  brick  and  mortar,  granite  and  iron, 
industriously,  as  the  busy  bee  prepares  her  dormi 
tory. 

There  is  no  ill  to  which  the  flesh  is  heir  which  has 
not  been  endured  by  the  flesh.  What  has  been  en 
dured  by  one  flesh  may  be  by  another.  In  this  case 
under  modifying  circumstances.  Truly  I  can  bear 
the  sight  of  these  vermin,  and  attend  to  their  de 
struction  with  much  less  suffering  than  those  poor 
women  can  be  made  their  prey  night  after  night. 

My  indignation  was  aroused  against  those  who  had 
charge  of  this  place,  and  who,  in  their  neglect,  had 
allowed  these  dens  for  the  confinement  of  human 
beings  to  become  breeding  nests  of  vermin.  That 
indignation  gave  me  courage  and  energy  for  my 
task.  I  set  one  of  my  sweeps  to  the  work  of  slaugh- 


INSPECTION  OF  PRIVATE  APARTMENTS.      129 

ter.  I  stood  by  and  directed  the  cleansing  with 
shivers  of  disgust  creeping  along  my  flesh,  and  thrills 
of  indignation  stirring  my  heart. 

When  the  Deputy  came  round,  I  gave  vent  to  my 
feelings  in  a  side-thrust  of  sarcasm.  I  stated  to  him 
the  condition  in  which  I  found  the  cells,  and  then 
asked,  — 

"  Did  these  bed-bugs  get  a  sentence  here  for  life  ; 
or  did  they  come,  a  special  beneficence  to  the  pris 
oners,  by  an  order  approved  by  the  Board  ?  " 

"  We  have  the  beds  taken  down,  and  filled  with 
new  straw  in  the  spring,  and  the  cells  white-washed, 
and  the  frames  washed.  It  has  just  been  done,  you 
know." 

"  To  what  purpose  you  can  see.  It  could  not  have 
been  properly  done.  If  it  had  they  would  not  have 
recruited  so  quickly." 

"  I  will  give  you  a  bed-bug  woman,  whose  special 
business  it  shall  be  to  look  after  and  exterminate 
them." 

"  Some  poor  old  cripple,  I  suppose,  who  would  be 
an  additional  care.  It  is  no  matter  about  the 
woman." 

I  was  vexed  that  the  cells  had  been  allowed  to 
get  into  such  a  condition.  «  It  is  very  disagreeable 
to  make  them  clean.  I  can  keep  Berry  at  the  work. 
If  I  do  not  keep  her  hands  busy  her  tongue  is  hatch 
ing  mischief.  If  I  do  not  keep  her  at  work  I  can't 
keep  the  track  of  her.  She  is  over  to  the  wash- 
house,  down  to  the  shop,  or  hospital,  gossiping,  and 
carrying  news." 


130  ,  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

Berry  was  the  white-wash  woman.  After  the  other 
two  "  sweeps,"  or  prison  chambermaids,  had  swept 
the  cells,  and  walks,  her  work  was  to  go  around  with 
her  white-wash  brush,  and  cover  up  any  soil  or  stains 
which  had  been  left  upon  them. 

"  Suit  yourself.     I  will  do  all  I  can  for  you." 

"  Thank  you  !  If  I  could  have  one  smart,  healthy 
woman  in  the  kitchen,  it  would  help  me  very  much." 

"  0,  a  smart  woman  !  we  must  have  the  smart 
women  in  the  shop.  We  can't  spare  you  a  shop 
hand." 

"  I  have  enough  that  are  maimed  and  halt,  and 
blind,  now." 

"  You  know  a  greenback  covers  every  bundle  of 
contract  work  that  is  done  in  the  shop,"  he  said,  with 
a  knowing  wink. 

& 

"  And  the  women  must  be  made  to  help  support 
the  institution.  There  may  be  various  ways  of 
doing  that.  Greenbacks  may  look  very  nice  to  you 
men  ;  but  will  not  the  health  and  reformation  of 
those  woman  be  as  much  money  in  the  treasury  of 
the  state  as  the  greenbacks  which  cover  that  con 
tract  work  ?  " 

"  That  is  the  Master's  order.  He  is  bound  up  in 
that  contract  work.  He  knows  just  how  much  each 
woman  does.  He  examines  the  tickets  himself, 
every  morning." 

"  Would  you  work  the  women  in  that  way  if  you 
were  Master  here  ?  " 

"  I  am  not." 


INSPECTION   OF  PRIVATE  APARTMENTS.     131 

"  Just  let  me  tell  you  what  an  able-bodied  corps  I 
have  in  the  kitchen.  Old  Allen,  the  steam  woman, 
has  a  broken  wrist.  The  cook  is  lame  in  one  of  her 
hips.  One  of  the  sink  women  has  fits  ;  the  women 
say.  the  other  is  a  'poor  weak  thing.'  One  of  the 
slide  women  is  in  that  condition  which  some  women, 
of  the  class  that  are  here,  find  themselves  without  a 
lord,  and  always  demands  consideration.  Another 
has  just  got  up  from  her  confinement.  One  of  the 
sweeps  is  blind  of  one  eye,  and  can't  see  with  the 
other.  The  only  able-bodied  woman  that  I  have  com 
plains  that  I  put  every  hard  thing  upon  her  to  do." 

The  Deputy  laughed  good  humoredly  at  my  de 
scription,  and  said,  — 

"  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  for  you  ;  but  I'm  sure 
the  Master  will  not  be  willing  to  spare  you  one  of 
his  shop  hands." 

To  get  a  large  amount  of  contract  work  done,  and 
show  the  figures  that  were  received  for  it,  was  the 
Master's  way  of  recommending  himself  to  the  Board 
of  Directors;  and  it  was  what  enabled  him  to  keep 
his  place. 

It  must  be  an  apparent  fact  to  the  most  shallow 
comprehension,  that  dollars  and  cents  are  essential  to 
the  welfare  of  humanity  ;  but  there  are  various  ways 
of  calculating  their  benefit. 

The  "almighty  dollar"  enlarges  and  increases 
in  value,  as  it  is  contemplated,  and  its  advantages 
dwelt  upon.  In  the  same  ratio  does  an  appreciation 
of  human  suffering  decrease  as  it  becomes  familiar 


132  WOMAN  IN  Pit  IS  ON. 

to  the  observation.  The  Master  had  evidently  been 
through  the  mental  process  in  both  directions.  The 
dollar  had  grown  till  it  covered  the  whole  surface  of 
human  life  ;  the  suffering  had  diminished  till  it  be 
came  a  mere  speck  in  the  distant  view  which  he  took 
of  it. 

"  Let  me  have  Callahan  ?  "  I  proposed. 

"  I  don't  believe  it  would  be  best,"  and  he  shook 
his  head  wisely.  "  You  would  get  along  with  her, 
and  she  would  make  you  no  trouble ;  but  it  wouldn't 
be  a  week  before  she  would  be  in  a  broil  with  the 
other  women,  and  I  should  be  obliged  to  lock  her  up." 

"  When  she  was  in  here  before,  she  was  in  the 
kitchen  four  months,  without  being  locked  up,  wasn't 
she  ?  She  gets  locked  up  where  she  is  now." 

He  saw  that  I  was  informed  upon  Callahan's  past 
history.  She  did  a  great  deal  of  work  in  the  shop ; 
the  Master  would  not  be  willing  to  spare  her.  He 
knew  that  to  transfer  her  to  the  kitchen  would  be 
to  interfere  with  Mrs.  Hardback's  plan  of  breaking 
her  temper,  and  she  would  resist  her  removal.  His 
influence  was  not  strong  enough  to  overcome  that  of 
the  two  combined.  He  shook  his  head,  — 

"  I'm  afraid  I  cannot,  and  I  do  not  think  it  would 
be  best."  He  understood  how  to  make  his  refusal 
palatable.  "  I  think  you  are  getting  along  well.  I 
have  been  intending  to  tell  you  that  I  am  satisfied 
with  your  management.  The  kitchen  is  clean  and 
quiet ;  and  the  meals  are  prompt,  much  more  so 
than  they  were  for  a  long  time  before  you  came. 
They  are  well  cooked,  too." 


INSPECTION   OF  PRIVATE  APARTMENTS.     133 

"  Thank  you !  but  my  women  are  worked  beyond 
endurance.  It  makes  my  heart  ache  to  see  those 
poor  cripples  lifting  out  tubs  of  swill  that  two  men 
could  scarce  handle  ;  and  bucketful  after  bucket 
ful  of  that  large,  heavy  coal  from  the  cellar,  with  all 
of  their  other  lifting  and  scrubbing." 

"  I'll  see  what  can  I  do  about  sending  you  another 
woman.  Do  the  best  you  can  ! " 

"  I  will  certainly  do  that." 

After  he  had  gone  out,  O'Brien  said  to  me,  — 

"  The  Deputy  wouldn't  be  hard  on  us,  if  he  could 
help  it." 

I  did  the  best  I  could.  I  told  them  I  was  sorry 
to  make  them  work  so  hard ;  but  I  could  not  help  it. 
I  asked  them  to  do  things,  when  I  could  possibly  do 
it,  rather  than  give  a  command. 

When  I  had  time  I  gave  them  a  reason,  for  an 
order,  and  however  tired  they  might  be,  that  was 
sure  to  secure  ready  and  prompt  acquiescence. 

"  You  must  get  on  more  steam  as  quick  as  you 
can,  because  we  are  a  little  behind  time  with  our 
dinner,"  was  sure  to  set  Allen's  fire  going  at  once. 

If  I  came  in,  and  found  them  sitting  down,  idly 
gossiping  away  the  time  before  their  work  was  done, 
I  had  only  to  say,  — 

"  Now,  girls,  start  round,  and  get  your  work  done  ; 
then,  you  can  sit  down  and  talk.  A  clean  room  is 
so  much  pleasanter  than  a  dirty  one  to  me,  and  I 
want  my  place  to  look  the  nicest  of  any  one  in  the 
institution,  and  you  wish  me  to  have  the  credit  of  its 


134  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

being  so.  You  like  to  have  all  of  the  visitors  taken 
in  to  see  the  kitchen  because  it  looks  so  nice." 

They  would  put  the  work  about  very  quickly. 
Scrub  and  dust,  and  make  the  old  kitchen  shine  like 
a  new  one  in  a  twinkling. 

"  They  were  keen  enough  to  fathom  character, 
and  took  no  advantage  of  my  manner.  They  were 
conciliated  ;  but  did  not  lose  the  restraint  of  author 
ity.  They  knew  it  was  there,  and  could  be  used  if 
necessary. 

They  never  gave  me  impertinence  ;  nor  refused  to 
obey  when  an  order  came  directly  from  me. 

That  inspection  day  was  a  literal  washing  of  the 
great  Master's  feet ;  not  with  my  tears  of  penitence, 
but  with  the  bitter  remnants  of  pride  and  anger 
subdued  to  patience  ?  My  work  was  even  more  hu 
miliating.  It  was  that  of  the  dogs,  at  the  temple 
gate,  cleansing  the  sores  of  the  vagrant  Lazarus. 

The  prisoners  were  allowed  the  condiments  of  salt, 
pepper,  and  vinegar.  Their  boxes  and  bottles  were 
filled  every  Thursday.  That  was  to  last  till  the  next 
Thursday.  If  they  were  wasted,  or  extravagantly 
used,  they  were  obliged  to  go  without  till  the  replen 
ishing  day  came.  To  attend  to  that  was  one  of  the 
duties  of  the  chambermaids. 

I  was  obliged  to  look  after  it  or  they  would  scatter 
and  waste  their  allowance,  and  then  play  off  on  me. 
They  would  call  to  me, — 

"  I  want  salt ;  there  was  none  put  in  my  box." 

That  would  be  done  from  pure  mischief,  to  get  the 


INSPECTION  OF  PRIVATE  APARTMENTS.    135 

sweeps  a  scolding.  But  I  gave  them  little  chance  to 
carry  out  their  mischief  in  that  way.  I  had  the  an 
swer  ready,  — 

"It  was  put  there.  I  have  been  in  every  room 
to-day  and  saw  it  there.  If  it  is  gone  you  have 
wasted  it,  and  must  go  without." 

"  I  haven't  wasted  it." 

"  Wasn't  it  your  pepper  and  salt  that  was  strewed 
on  the  shop-floor  to-day  ?  " 

That  hint  that  I  was  after  them,  and  knew  what 
they  were  about,  was  sufficient.  There  were  no  more 
complaints  made. 

Every  woman  was  obliged  to  make,  and  tie  up,  her 
own  bed.  The  prison  women  swept  the  rooms  every 
morning.  That  gave  them  an  opportunity  to  secrete 
many  a  nice  bit  for  their  friends.  Indeed  my  sweeps 
ran  a  regular  underground  bakery  express  from  the 
Master's  kitchen,  and  also  from  the  prisoners'. 

Many  a  nice  biscuit  and  slice  of  cake  went  from 
the  range  to  the  cells,  and  bread  from  my  table  was 
provided  against  mush  morning,  and  brown-bread 
breakfasts. 

Onions  were  a  favorite  vegetable,  but  their  tell 
tale  odor  enabled  me  to  detect  them  easily. 

One  evening,  I  passed  a  cell  where  they  gave  out 
unmistakable  evidence  of  their  presence.  I  called 
to  one  of  the  sweeps,  — 

"  Ellen,  the  gardener  has  made  a  mistake !  He 
has  put  the  onions,  for  the  soup  to-morrow,  in  one  of 
those  cells.  Won't  you  take  them  out,  and  put  them 


136  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

in  the  cellar.  If  one  of  the  other  Matrons,  or  the 
Deputy,  were  to  come  in,  they  would  smell  them  as 
plainly  as  I  do,  and  they  might  think  you  put  them 
there  for  some  one  to  eat  privately,  and  get  you  re 
ported." 

That  hint  was  sufficient ;  I  never  smelt  onions  in 
the  cells  again. 

The  officers  professed  to  take  no  report  from  one 
prisoner  against  another ;  but  when  they  got  angry 
with  a  prisoner,  and  wished  to  remove  her  from  their 
department,  they  did  not  scuple  to  avail  themselves 
of  information  obtained  in  that  way.  Berry,  my 
white-washer,  was  an  apt  agent.  Sly,  artful,  and 
treacherous,  she  pretended  sympathy,  and  got  pos 
session  of  knowledge  which  was  Mrs.  Hardback's 
principal  clew  to  find  out  what  was  going  on  in  the 
kitchen  and  prison. 

The  other  women  understood,  and  avoided  her. 
That  made  her  angry,  and  the  more  watchful  and 
treacherous. 

One  day  she  found  a  biscuit  from  the  officers' 
table  in  a  cell.  She  reasoned  that  Flannagan  must 
have  put  it  there,  because  Flannagan  and  the  girl 
in  whose  cell  she  found  it  were  great  friends.  That 
morning  the  Housekeeper  had  been  fretted  with 
Flannagan,  and  Berry  had  got  wind  of  it.  Here 
was  the  opportunity  to  exercise  her  vocation.  She 
slipped  the  biscuit  under  her  apron,  took  it  into  the 
officers'  kitchen,  and  showed  it  to  the  Housekeeper. 

Flannagan  must   have  done  it,  because  she  had 


INSPECTION   OF  PRIVATE  APARTMENTS.    137 


« 


given  offense  in  the  morning ;  and  she  was  forthwith 
dismissed  to  the  shop. 

A  woman  who  came  in  a  few  days  before,  on  a 
long  sentence,  had  been  discovered  to  be  a  nice 
needle-woman,  smart  and  pretty;  whereas  Flanna- 
gan  was  plain  and  slow.  Occasion  was  thus  made 
to  effect  the  change,  so  my  women  said.  And  what 
they  failed  to  find  out  in  that  institution  was  beyond 
investigation. 


XV. 

A   DAY   OF    ODDS    AND    ENDS. 

THE  day  commenced  at  odds.  In  the  morning 
Mrs.  Hardback  came  flying  into  the  kitchen,  and 
demanded,  from  O'Brien,  something  for  one  of  her 
girls  to  eat. 

"  She  has  fainted  away  for  the  want  of  food  !  She 
has  had  no  breakfast !  How  did  you  dare  to  keep 
her  breakfast  from  her  !  " 

O'Brien  kept  her  temper  wonderfully.  She  an 
swered  very  quietly, — 

''I'm  sure  she  had  the  same  as  the  rest  if  she  had 
been  a  mind  to  taken  it." 

"  How  do  you  dare  to  stand  there  and  answer  me 
in  that  way  ?  I'll  have  you  punished  if  you  dare  to 
open  your  mouth  again." 

O'Brien's  face  grew  red,  she  opened  her  lips  to  re 
tort  just  as  I  arrived  to  where  they  stood.  I  stepped 
between  them. 

"O'Brien,  will  you  get  a  bucket  of  coal  ?  I  want 
more  steam  as  soon  as  I  can  have  it." 

"  Yes.  ma'am,"  and  she  started  away ;  but  she 
looked  up  at  me  as  she  went  as  much  to  say,  you 
have  saved  me. 


A  DAY  OF  ODDS  AND  ENDS.  139 

I  turned  to  Mrs.  Hardback. 

"  I'm  sorry  one  of  your  girls  couldn't  eat  her 
breakfast ;  you  know  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  get 
anything  aside  from  the  Master's  orders,  and  what 
the  rest  have.  I'll  see  if  I  can  find  her  something." 

"  We  have  got  so  much  contract  work  to  get  done 
to-night,  and,  if  the  women  faint  away,  they  can't  do 
it." 

"  I  should  he  glad  to  provide  them  a  good,  sub 
stantial  breakfast  to  work  on  ;  but  I  can't  have  my 
way  about  it.  It  is  very  cruel  to  feed  them  as  they 
are  fed  here ;  and  then,  to  work  them  as  they  are 
worked." 

I  thought,  as  I  went  to  look  up  something  for  her 
to  take  to  the  poor  girl,  of  the  remark  John  Ran 
dolph  made  to  his  lady  neighbor,  when  he  entered 
her  house  and  found  her  at  work  for  the  Greeks, 
"  The  Greeks  are  at  your  door."  He  had  entered 
the  house  though  a  little  army  of  naked,  ignorant 
servants. 

Do  not  the  ladies  of  the  United  States  need  to  be 
reminded  that  the  Greeks  are  at  their  door  ?  Are 
they  not  in  every  prison  in  the  land  ? 

I  went  into  the  pantry.  There  was  a  skillet  pan 
standing  on  the  shelf  with  a  bone  in  it.  I  took  it  out 
and  inquired,  — 

"  Whose  bone  is  this  ?  " 

"  It  is  mine,"  said  Lissett." 

"  Will  you  give  it  to  the  woman  in  the  shop  who 
fainted  this  morning  because  she  had  no  break 
fast?" 


140  WOMAN  IN  Pit  IS  ON. 

"  Yes,  ma'am  !  " 

"  Bring  a  slice  of  bread,  and  quart  of  coffee  to  go 
with  it." 

Handing  it  to  Mrs.  Hardback,  I  dispatcbed  her 
as  quickly  as  possible.  I  was  glad  when  she  de 
parted.  Her  visits  to  the  kitchen  were  very  dis 
agreeable.  She  always  managed  to  use  the  "  irrita 
ting  language,"  forbidden  by  the  Board  in  their 
"  Rules  and  Regulations,"  which  stirred  up  the  angry 
feelings  of  my  women,  and  it  took  time  and  argu 
ment  to  get  them  settled  down  into  calmness  and 
quiet  again. 

"  If  it  hadn't  been  for  you,  I  should  have  been  in 
solitary  again,"  said  O'Brien,  after  she  left.  "  How 
I  hate  that  woman  ! " 

"  And  so  do  I,  and  so  do  I ! "  was  echoed  round 
the  room. 

"  If  you  hate  such  ways  never  copy  them  ! " 

"  What's  the  use  in  scolding  us  !  She  knows  we 
can't  help  the  victuals.  If  she  wants  to  scold  any 
body  she'd  better  scold  the  Master." 

"  He'd  sauce  her  back  again  ;  and  then,  both  of 
'em  would  get  locked  up.  Wouldn't  you  like  to  see 
'em  both  locked  up  ? "  said  Lissett. 

"  Yes,  that  I  should  ! "  was  echoed  all  around. 

"  I'd  like  to  cut  the  bread  for  'em,"  said  O'Brien. 
"  The  slices  would  be  thin." 

"  I  would  draw  small  quarts  of  water,"  said  Lissett. 

"  Hush,  girls  !  Don't  you  know  that  you  are  now 
indulging  in  the  very  temper  that  looks  so  hateful  to 
you  when  you  see  it  in  others." 


A  DAY  OF   ODDS  AND  ENDS.  141 

Scarcely  was  I  relieved  of  Mrs.  Hardback's  anti- 
benign  influence,  when  the  Receiving  Matron  made 
her  appearance,  and  asked,  although  in  a  very  differ 
ent  manner, — 

"  Why  didn't  the  women  bring  over  their 
clothes?" 

"  What  clothes  ?  " 

"Their  sheets  to  be  washed.  This  is  their  day. 
They  take  them  from  their  beds  when  they  get  up, 
and  carry  them  to  the  wash-house  as  they  go  down 
to  the  shop.  My  women,  and  the  four  who  were  sent 
up  from  the  shop  to  help  them,  have  lost  an  hour  by 
the  delay.  I  don't  mind  about  mine  ;  but  the  shop 
women  will  be  late  back ;  and  then,  I  shall  be  com 
plained  of  that  I  did  not  drive  them  hard  enough, 
and  get  the  work  out  of  them  sooner." 

"I  didn't  know  anything  about  it.  If  you  had 
told  me  last  night  I  would  have  attended  to  it. 
Some  of  the  women  asked  me  if  they  should  take 
out  their  sheets;  but  I  didn't  know  what  they  meant, 
and  told  them  I  would  see.  I  will  send  the  sweeps 
to  gather  them  up  immediately,  and  send  them 
over." 

"  I  forgot  to  tell  you  last  night.  They  won't  blame 
you  but  me  ;  there  is  the  trouble.  I  hate  to  have 
the  Master  come  around,  and  find  fault." 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  him  ?  " 

'*  No  !  I'm  not  a  prisoner ;  but  I  always  feel  un 
comfortable  where  he  is,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  only  seen  him  once  or  twice  ;  and  then  I 


142  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

was  very  much  inclined  to  laugh  at  the  pompous 
airs  he  put  on  ;  but  a  sense  of  propriety  restrained 
me." 

"  I  had  a  great  deal  rather  not  see  him,  especially, 
when  he  conies  to  find  fault." 

"  He  ought  not  to  find  fault  with  you  in  this  in 
stance.  You  are  under  no  obligation  to  teach  rne 
the  duties  of  my  department.  If  you  attend  to  the 
work  in  your  own  you  do  your  duty." 

"  I  know  that,  but  I  can't  help  myself.  He  says 
I  am  here  to  do  whatever  he  orders  me,  and  that  I 
must  do  it  if  I  stay.  I  am  a  widow,  and  have  a  boy 
to  support,  so  I  try  to  do  all  I  can." 

"  He  knows  that  ?  " 

"  Yes,  they  all  know  it." 

"  And  he  takes  advantage  of  it  to  compel  you  to 
do  his  wife's  work  while  he  gets  the  pay  for  it." 

"  That  is  the  plain  English  of  the  whole  thing." 

"  But  you  can  get  more  pay  outside  for  less  work 
than  you  do  here." 

"  Perhaps  so,  if  I  knew  how  to  find  it ;  but  I  never 
have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  it  before." 

I  had  gone  out  into  the  prison  as  I  was  talking  with 
her,  and  stood  at  the  door  a  moment  after  she  had 
passed  out ;  but  there  was  no  chance  for  rest  during 
my  watch.  There  came  the  sound  of  scolding  and 
contention  after  me,  and  recalled  me  to  the  kitchen. 
I  hurried  back.  The  fear  that  some  of  them  would 
get  into  a  quarrel,  beyond  my  reach  to  control, 
always  haunted  me. 


A    DAY  OF   ODDS  AND  ENDS.  143 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "     I  called  out  at  the  door. 

"  The  cook  is  so  slow  we  shall  never  get  this  swill 
out,  and  I  am  trying  to  hurry  her,"  said  the  sink 
woman.  "  She  hinders  me  so  I  shall  never  get  my 
work  done." 

"  I  can't  do  no  faster  than  I  can,"  called  back  the 
sink  woman.  "  It  is  no  use  hurrying  me." 

"  Stop  !  both  of  you  !  Lissett,  you  know  Jennie  is 
slow,  and  you  must  have  patience  with  her.  Do  I 
not  have  patience  with  you  ?  You  only  make 
matters  worse  by  fretting.  Jennie,  you  are  slow. 
When  you  carry  swill  with  Lissett,  go  as  fast  as  you 
can,  so  as  not  to  hinder  her  ;  then  rest  when  you  get 
through." 

"  Do  come  along ! "  fretted  Lissett,  "  You  are 
enough  to  fret  a  saint." 

"  That  can't  be  you,  Lissett.  Haven't  I  told  you, 
many  a  time,  that  you  ought  to  help  each  other  along, 
instead  of  scolding  and  fretting  at  each  other." 

"  It  is  hard  work  to  drag  her,  and  the  swill  tub 
too." 

"  Then  go  a  little  slower,  and  give  her  a  chance  to 
do  her  part.  There  is  one  thing  that  I  wish  to  do 
myself,  and  that  is  the  scolding,  and  I  don't  wish  to 
have  you  take  it  out  of  my  hands." 

"  If  you  do  it  all  there  won't  get  much  of  it  done." 

"  There  will  be  enough.  I  do  not  need  help. 
And  I  can  suit  myself  much  better  in  doing  it  than 
any  one  else  can  suit  me.  In  future,  Lissett,  you 
and  Annie  O'Brien  will  carry  the  swill  together. 


144  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

Then  you  can  both  work  as  fast  as  you  please.  Jen 
nie,  you  and  Allen  may  carry  together;  you  can  be 
as  slow  as  you  please.  I  wish  to  hear  no  more 
trouble  over  the  swill." 

I  intended  to  arrange  their  work  so  as  to  avoid  all 
collision  ;  but  I  sometimes  failed.  When  I  had  put 
those,  whom  I  thought  to  be  the  best  of  friends,  at 
work  together,  some  little  difference  would  arise  and 
separate  them. 

Directly  I  had  a  call  in  the  prison.  Berry  could 
not  get  on  with  her  white-washing,  because  Maggie 
had  not  done  her  sweeping,  and  came  to  me  with  a 
complaint,  — 

"  Maggie  won't  sweep,  and  that  keeps  me  waiting. 
Won't  you  tell  her  to  sweep  so  I  can  white-wash  ?  " 

"  Maggie,  why  don't  you  sweep  so  that  Berry  can 
white-wash  ?  " 

"  I  am,  ma'am,  as  fast  as  I  can.  I  have  got  all  of 
the  rooms  to  do  before  I  do  the  floor." 

"  You  need  not  wait,  Berry.  Take  a  broom  and 
help  her." 

That  was  something  that  Berry  did  not  calculate 
upon. 

"  If  Maggie  would  get  up  in  season  she  could  get 
her  work  done  herself;  she  loves  her  bed  too  well." 

"  I  have  told  you  of  a  way  to  get  your  work  done 
if  you  do  not  wish  to  wait." 

"  You  favor  Maggie  too  much,  and  the  other  Ma 
trons  all  say  so.  You  ought  to  get  her  up  in  the 
morning,  they  all  say." 


A  DAT  OF   ODDS  AND  ENDS.  145 

"  Take  a  broom  and  sweep  that  platform  !  Don't 
bring  any  tales  to  me  from  the  other  Matrons! 
When  I  wish  you  to  teach  me  how  to  treat  the 
women,  T  will  ask  you." 

Berry  chose  to  consider  herself  a  very  much  in 
jured  woman,  and  began  to  snivel  and  grumble. 

"  I  am  going  down  to  the  shop  to  work.  Maggie 
is  so  saucy  I  can't  get  along  with  her."  She  dared 
not  express  her  disaffection  towards  me. 

"  Well,  Berry,  when  you  find  yourself  so  much 
your  own  mistress  as  to  go  where  you  please,  I  will 
give  you  '  a  character/  and  you  may  go  to  the  shop 
to  work." 

"  What  kind  of  a  character  ?  "  asked  O'Brien,  who 
happened  along  at  that  moment. 

"A  good  one.  You  are  a  pretty  good  woman, 
Berry.  There  is  one  fault  which  I  think  might  be 
corrected  by  going  to  the  shop.  You  are  very  much 
disposed  to  tattle,  and  that  sometimes  makes  mis 
chief.  If  you  go  to  the  shop,  where  you  are  not 
allowed  to  speak  at  all,  you  can't  do  that  kind  of  mis 
chief.  That  would  save  me,  if  it  did  not  yourself, 
a  great  deal  of  trouble." 

I  heard  no  more  about  going  to  the  shop. 
The  kitchen  was  quiet  after  dinner  and  the  work, 
before  supper,  done.     I  threw  my  head  back,  in  the 
large  chair  in  which  I  was  resting,  and  drowsed. 

The  women  sat  buzzing,  on  low  stools,  just  behind 
me.     I  had  been    too  sleepy  to   notice    what   they 
10 


146  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

were  saying ;  finally  a  word  or  two  that  I  heard  at 
tracted  me  to  listen. 

"  Was  you  here,  O'Brien  ? "  asked  Maggie ;  "  when 
Ida  Jones  was  pulled  into  the  hospital  by  the  hair 
of  her  head  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  was,  and  I  saw  it  with  my  two  eyes.  The 
Master  pulled  her  by  the  hair  of  her  head,  and 
kicked  her  as  he  went  along  the  walk  ;  and  she  a 
poor,  half-witted  thing  too.  That  was  six  weeks  ago, 
and  she  has  been  in  the  hospital  ever  since." 

I  was  wide  awake  —  thoroughly  aroused  when  that 
story  was  completed. 

"  Maggie  Murray,  do  you  mean  to  say  that  you 
saw  the  Master  pull  Ida  Jones  along  the  walk,  by 
the  hair  of  her  head,  and  kick  her  as  he  pulled  her  ? 
You  ought  to  be  very  careful  how  you  tell  such 
stories,  unless  they  are  true." 

"  It  is  the  truth,  ma'am  ! "  said  several  of  them  in 
a  breath. 

"  He  took  her  by  her  pug,  like  this,"  and  she  took 
hold  of  the  coil  of  hair  on  the  back  of  O'Brien's 
head,  "  and  dragged  her  along.  We  all  saw  it,  and 
the  Housekeeper  saw  it,  and  she  said  he  ought  to 
be  reported  to  the  Board.  And  that  Matron,  that 
skinny  person,  I  forget  her  name,  that  was  here,  she 
saw  it  There  were  a  plenty  that  saw  it.  When  you 
go  down  to  the  hospital,  you  can  ask  Ida  what  is  the 
matter,  and  she  will  tell  you  so  too." 

"What  did  he  do  it  for?" 

"  She  said  she  was  dead  with  work  —  she  could 


A  DAT  OF   ODDS  AND  ENDS.  147 

not  sit  at  it  another  minute  —  she  was  ready  to  fall ; 
and  Hardhack  reported  her ;  and  the  Master  was  so 
mad,  —  some  of  'em  said  so  drunk,  —  he  dragged 
her  himself  out  of  the  shop,  all  of  the  way  to  the 
Hospital." 

My  face  must  have  expressed  the  horror  that  I 
felt. 

"Indeed  it  is  the  truth,  ma'am!"  said  O'Brien. 
"  The  Master  was  crazy  to  get  a  lot  of  work  done 
that  night,  and  it  made  him  awful  mad  to  lose  a 
hand." 

I  asked  myself  if  it  were  possible  that  that  man 
would  dare  to  abuse  the  trust  reposed  in  him  in  that 
manner.  Certainly  !  The  whole  system  of  secrecy 
upon  which  our  prisons  are  managed  is  just  calcu 
lated  to  screen  such  conduct,  and  to  induce  the  prac 
tice  of  it,  if  there  be  a  tendency,  in  the  disposition 
of  the  man  who  has  charge,  to  do  it.  If  the  testi 
mony  of  prisoners  is  not  to  be  relied  upon,  a  Master 
could  make  it  for  the  interest  of  his  officers  to  re 
main  silent.  Some  might  look  at  it  in  the  same  light 
that  he  did,  and  feel  perfectly  satisfied. 

Why  should  not  a  prisoner's  testimony  be  taken 
in  a  matter  where  he  is  concerned  ?  He  has  been 
tried  and  convicted  of  an  offense.  Is  that  fact  a 
conviction  in  every  other  case  where  he  may  have 
difficulty  with  another  person  ? 

If  prisoners  are  entirely  unworthy  of  trust,  how 
does  it  happen  that  such  a  man,  once  a  convict  him 
self,  according  to  the  traditions  of  that  prison,  has 


148  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

charge  there,  and  the  unlimited  confidence  of  the 
Board  ? 

I  noticed,  in  making  out  the  report  of  inmates, 
that  there  were  not  so  many  women  as  men  in  prison. 
There  was  satisfaction  in  obtaining  that  fact,  because 
I  had  entertained  the  idea  that  women  were  more 
frequently  punished  for  their  offenses  than  men. 

It  was  a  mistake,  except  in  the  one  crime  of  licen 
tiousness.  In  that  man  goes  comparatively  free,  and 
woman  is  the  only  sufferer  in  what  is,  to  say  the 
least,  their  mutual  sin.  I  say,  almost  every  woman 
will  say,  and  with  truth,  for  the  sin  that  man  leads 
her  into. 

Woman  does  not  seek  man,  in  that  way,  in  the 
first  instance.  He  draws  her  into  the  sin,  and  when 
she  becomes  abandoned,  and  the  Penitentiary  brings 
her  up,  she  is  no  worse  than  he.  She  becomes  a 
night-walker,  and  suffers  for  her  violation  of  law. 
He  is  a  night-walker  also,  as  miserable  and  degraded 
a  man  as  she  is  woman ;  but  who  prosecutes  him, 
and  gives  him  a  sentence  in  the  House  of  Correc 
tion  !  He  continues  a  night-walker  unmolested  while 
she  surfers  for  her  sin. 

He  walks  into  the  parlors  of  the  intellectually 
cultivated,  and  socially  refined,  —  I  was  about  to  say 
virtuous  woman.  There  can  be  little  virtue  in  such 
shaky  morality.  I  can  only  say  of  the  chaste  woman, 
and  she  takes  the  hand  of  the  night-wulker,  and 
greets  him  cordially,  and  makes  him  welcome,  es 
pecially  if  he  be  rich,  —  the  hand  that  leads  her 


A  DAY  OF    ODDS  AND  ENDS.  149 

fellow  woman  to  her  social  ruin  if  not  to  her  eternal 
death. 

If  woman  were  to  help  make  the  laws,  could  she 
remedy  this  state  of  things,  —  would  she?  Would 
she  take  her  husband,  father,  brother  from  his  home 
to  the  Penitentiary  ?  She  must  do  that,  in  order  to 
rid  society  of  the  pest  of  night-walking.  She  may 
do  that  now  if  she  will.  The  law  gives  her  the  op 
portunity.  Instead  of  lavishing  her  courtesies,  as  she 
now  does,  upon  the  male  offender,  she  might  extend 
her  charity  in  kindly  assistance  to  his  victim,  if  she 
were  disposed  to  do  it. 

To  judge  by  the  way  she  treats  him  now,  if  she 
were  to  assist  in  making  laws  would  she  not  be  still 
more  unjust  than  she  now  is,  to  her  own  sex,  and 
lenient  to  the  other. 

If  man  go  unpunished,  of  human  law,  for  this  sin, 
justice  will  find  him  out  sooner  or  later.  God  pity 
him  when  his  retribution  comes !  The  avenging  of 
a  guilty  conscience  will  work  him  greater  woe  than 
the  miseries  of  a  prison  can  inflict. 

As  I  sat  in  the  prison  this  evening  reviewing  my 
day's  work,  I  counted  up  my  occupations. 

I  am  Housekeeper,  Engineer,  Overseer,  Jailer, 
Porter,  Usher,  Sentinel,  and  many  others  which  I 
did  not  enumerate. 

Irksome  as  was  the  handling  of  keys  to  me,  it  was 
quite  an  entertainment  to  see  myself  answering  the 
knock  of  the  gentlemen  in  striped  uniform,  letting 
them  into  my  kitchen,  and  following  them  around, 


150  WOMAN  IN  PKISON. 

like  a  page  after  a  prince ;  and  then,  letting  them 
out.  I  hardly  think  they  get  such  attendances  in  the 
outside  world. 

Rotation  in  duties,  and  reversion  in  offices  was  the 
order  of  the  place.  I  was  Usher  to  the  prisoners ; 
my  sweeps  were  stationed  on  the  stone  stairs,  when 
the  prisoners  were  in  their  cells,  and  the  kitchen 
door  locked,  to  open  it  if  there  were  a  knock  on  the 
outside,  and  to  lock  it  again  after  the  officer  who  en 
tered. 

Sittings  on  the  stone  stairs  could  hardly  have  been 
comfortable  accommodations.  I  was  reminded  of 
that  fact  this  evening,  by  hearing  Ellen  whisper  when 
she  heard  a  knock,  — 

"  I  hate  to  get  up,  —  I've  just  got  my  seat  warm." 

"  Every  back  is  fitted  to  its  burden,"  is  an  old 
proverb.  I  wondered  if  those  prisoners  had  been 
provided  by  a  beneficent  Providence,  of  some  kind, 
with  an  extra  amount  of  animal  heat,  in  order  to 
warm  up  the  stones  they  lived  on  during  their  incar 
ceration. 


XVI. 

A   FRIGHT. 

SUPERNUMERARY  was  in  the  habit  of  sending  to 
me  for  my  No.  5  key  occasionally.  She  said  it  let  her 
through  from  the  house  into  the  attic  of  the  prison. 

I  could  not  imagine  what  she  wished  to  go  through 
there  for.  I  finally  settled  down  upon  the  supposi 
tion  that  she  wished  to  supervise  the  prisoners' 
rooms  at  her  convenience,  and  see  if  I  kept  them  in 
order,  and  made  the  poor  things  as  comfortable  as 
possible. 

The  mystery  was  unraveled  when  she  took  me  up 
to  show  me  the  room  of  the  Receiving  Officer  which 
she  wished  to  have  cleaned.  She  pointed  to  a  large 
closet  on  the  same  flat,  where  she  packed  away  sum 
mer  articles  of  use  in  the  fall,  and  winter  ones  in 
the  spring,  which  she  said  my  5  key  locked. 

I  had  given  her  the  credit  of  one  generous  deed 
too  many.  Still,  although  she  went  through  on  her 
own  business  she  did  have  an  eye  to  cast  about  upon 
the  affairs  of  the  prison. 

One  night,  about  eight  o'clock,  after  she  had  been 
using  this  key  in  the  afternoon,  I  was  on  the  third 
flight  of  stairs.  The  Deputy  went  rushing  past  me, 
in  great  perturbation,  looking  deathly  pale. 


152  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  sir  ?  pray  what  is  the  mat 
ter  ?  "  I  asked,  as  I  turned  back  to  follow  him. 

"Mrs.  Martin  says  she  heard  some  one  in  solitary, 
this  afternoon,  in  one  of  the  upper  cells ;  and  there 
has  been  no  one  put  in  for  three  days." 

"  And  I  have  fed  no  one  up  there  for  three  days  ! " 
I  exclaimed  in  an  agony  of  apprehension.  The 
second  thought  followed  fast  upon  the  first.  "  It 
cannot  be,  Mr.  Deputy  !  I  have  passed  those  doors 
several  times  a  day,  and  the  sweeps  sleep  next  to  the 
black  cells.  No  woman  would  stay  there  three  days 
and  nights  without  letting  it  be  known.  If  there  had 
been  any  one  there  I  should  not  have  forgotten  her, 
and  I  don't  think  you  would." 

"  Mrs.  Martin  says  she  heard  her  talk  and  sing 
this  afternoon." 

"  It  cannot  be !  She  has  been  very  cool  to  make 
no  mention  of  it  till  now." 

But  the  thought  of  my  having  left  any  one  so 
long  in  solitary,  without  food,  took  my  strength  from 
me.  My  limbs  trembled ;  I  sunk  upon  the  steps. 

"  It  cannot  be,  Mr.  Deputy,  that  we  have  been  so 
careless  !  Mrs.  Martin  has  been  very  cool  about  it. 
She  had  my  key  about  three ;  it  is  now  after  eight. 
No  woman  who  had  been  in  solitary  three  days  with 
out  food  would  be  merry  enough  to  sing." 

He  slackened  his  pace  ;  but  still  said,  — 

"  I  am  going  to  see  ! " 

When  he  came  down  I  asked  him  what  he  found. 

"  An  empty  cell,"  he  said  quietly. 


A  FRIGHT.  153 

Mrs.  Hardback  did  not  let  her  superior  officer  off 
so  easily. 

"  I  wish  that  woman  could  ever  exercise  a  little 
common  sense  !  "  was  her  gentle  comment 

"She  is  Head  Matron  of  this  institution,  —  you 
ought  to  speak  of  your  superiors  with  respect ; "  was 
my  sarcastic  rejoinder.  I  could  not  choke  down  the 
remark. 

The  Deputy  showed  his  humanity  by  looking  into 
the  matter  as  soon  as  it  was  told  him,  as  much  as 
such  testimony,  in  his  favor,  is  to  the  disadvantage 
of  the  brilliant  and  energetic  Head  of  the  female 
department  of  the  prison. 

That  man  was  very  acute  in  his  management  to 
get  along  pleasantly  with  the  officers  ;  and  obtain 
from  them  what  service  he  wished.  If  he  exacted 
labor  of  us,  that  he  had  no  right  to  ask,  he  made  the 
exaction  tolerable  by  his  manner. 

One  day  we  were  without  a  Receiving  Matron. 
On  that  day  I  had  had  the  promise  of  having  my 
kitchen  white-washed,  and  had  made  rny  arrange 
ments  for  it,  so  as  to  make  it  as  easy  for  the  women 
as  I  could,  while  it  was  going  on. 

I  expected  to  take  the  Receiving  Matron's  place ; 
but  I  gave  no  hint  that  I  expected  to  do  so.  I 
wished  to  see  how  the  Deputy  would  manage  to 
obtain  the  favor  from  me. 

He  came  in  quite  early  in  the  morning  and  said 
to  me,  — 

"  I'm  afraid  we  can't  do  the  kitchen  for  you  to-day. 


154  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

I  don't   think   the  white-wash  will  dry.     It   is   too 
damp." 

If  he  sent  his  men  in  to  white-wash  it  would  be 
impossible  for  me  to  leave,  and  go  to  the  Receiving 
Matron's  rooms,  and  oversee  the  washing.  I  saw 
through  his  plan  ;  but  I  said,  — 

"  I  think  I  can  keep  fire  enough  to  dry  it.  I  have 
made  my  arrangements  to  have  it  done." 

"  I'll  see,"  he  said,  and  went  out. 

In  a  short  time  the  officer  who  was  to  oversee  the 
white-washing  came  in,  — 

"  As  it  is  so  damp  to-day,  the  Deputy  told  me  I 
had  better  put  the  men  on  a  job  down  in  the  men's 
workshop  ;  so  they  won't  be  in  here  to-day." 

"  If  the  whitening  will  dry  there,  why  not  here  ?  " 
I  asked. 

He  smiled.  "  The  men  have  begun  there  ;  it  won't 
be  best  to  take  them  off.  I  don't  think  the  Deputy 
would  like  to  have  me  come  in  here  now." 

"  I  don't  think  he  would,"  was  my  knowing  reply. 

Very  soon,  Mr.  Deputy  made  his  appearance 
again,  and  came  up  to  me  with  a  nice,  spicy  compli 
ment. 

"I  find  it  the  same  here  early  and  late,  quiet  and 
clean." 

u  I'm  glad  you  are  pleased  with  my  place." 

"  Can't  you  go  over  to  the  wash-room,  and  set  the 
women  to  work,  when  they  go  out  from  breakfast  ? 
And  I  should  like  to  have  you  stay  there  as  much  as 
you  can  this  forenoon,  to  keep  order.  As  it  is  pea 


A  FRIGHT.  .     155 

day  your  women  won't  have  a  great  deal  to  do  ;  and 
you  have  got  them  so  well  trained  they  will  get  on 
very  well  without  you.  You  will  have  no  trouble  in 
managing  both  places." 

"  O  yes,  sir ;  I  will  oblige  you  in  that  way  with 
pleasure ! " 

When  they  came  in  to  white-wash  the  kitchen,  it 
rained  pouring.  The  only  revenge  I  took  upon  the 
Deputy  was  to  ask  him  if  he  thought  it  would  be  a 
good  drying  day. 


XVII. 

VISITING    DAY. 

VISITING  day,  which  came  every  fourth  Wednes 
day,  was  a  great  occasion  in  the  institution. 

For  two  weeks  before  it  was  due,  the  question  was 
continually  asked  me,  — 

"  Is  it  next  Wednesday,  or  a  week  from  next  Wed 
nesday,  that  is  visiting  day  ?  I  wonder  if  my  husband 
will  come  !  I  wonder  if  anybody  will  come  to  see 
me !  I  want  to  see  the  old  man  so  much  !  I  want  to 
hear  from  the  childer  so  much  ! " 

For  a  day  or  two  it  was  my  constant  care  to  re 
press  the  talk  occasioned  by  the  overflowing  of  their 
expectations,  or  fears,  so  as  to  get  their  work  done 
by  the  women. 

The  Doctor,  when  he  came  to  make  his  visits, 
passed  the  kitchen  door.  That  door  was  made  of 
small  panes  of  ground  glass.  There  was  a  wooden 
one  inside,  to  slide  over  it  at  night.  When  he  an 
nounced  his  arrival,  he  had  knocked  upon  one  of 
the  panes,  with  the  head  of  his  cane,  and  broken  it. 
It  had  been  done  apparently  for  mischief;  but  I 
thought  it  was  to  give  the  prisoners  a  glimpse  of  the 
blue  sky,  and  the  green  trees,  and  the  bright  flow 
ers  that  were  in  front  of  the  prison. 


VISITING  DAY.  157 

The  windows  of  the  kitchen  were  of  the  same 
ground  glass,  cut  into  small  panes  of  six  by  seven. 
They  were  made  fifty  or  a  hundred  years  ago,  no 
doubt,  with  the  utilitarian  notion  of  producing 
greater  diligence  in  the  inmates  by  shutting  out  all 
attractive  sights  which  might  decoy  them  from  their 
work.  The  Matron  was  taken  into  the  account; 
her  attention  must  not  be  drawn  from  the  care  of 
her  maidens. 

If  that  were  a  good  rule  for  the  inferior  officers 
and  prisoners,  why  might  it  not  apply  with  propriety 
to  the  Head  Matron  and  Master  ?  The  city  or  state 
might  be  saved  the  large  item  of  expense,  in  "  sup 
porting  the  institution,"  of  cultivating  handsome 
grounds  exclusively  for' their  benefit? 

It  was  a  deed  of  mercy  to  break  that  window 
pane.  Many  a  time  when  I  have  seen  the  lowering 
brow,  or  heard  the  angry  remark,  I  have  saved  a  war 
of  words,  perhaps  of  hands,  by  sending  one  of  the 
belligerents  to  that  broken  pane  to  see  if  the  Doctor 
were  on  his  way  to  the  hospital,  or  if  the  bread  or 
meat  were  coming  round. 

If  I  saw  the  dissatisfaction  to  be  deep-rooted,  I 
gave  the  command,  — 

"  Stand  there  and  watch  a  few  moments  !" 

"  That  broken  pane,  on  that  visiting  day,  was  an 
outlet  for  much  anxiety.  One  of  the  women  stood 
sentinel  there  all  day  —  sometimes  one,  sometimes 
another. 

The  steam  woman,  in  her  anxiety  to  discover  the 


158  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

approach  of  her  "  old  man,"  forgot  the  care  of  her 
boiler,  and  created  quite  a  scene.  She  turned  the 
water  into  it  and  went  to  the  broken  pane  to  look  a 
moment,  forgot  it  turn  it  off,  and  the  consequence 
was  an  overflow  which  put  out  her  fire  and  flooded 
the  floor,  —  created  what  McMullins  called  an  "  ex 
plosion."  This  she  did  twice  in  the  forenoon. 

The  hurry  and  scurry  which  was  created  to  relight 
the  fire,  and  sweep  the  water  down  the  hatches,  di 
verted  the  attention  of  all  for  a  few  moments,  and 
passed  away  the  wearisome  time  of  waiting.  I  pitied 
the  poor  old  thing  as  the  day  wore  away,  and  there 
was  no  call  for  her  to  go  out  and  see  her  husband. 

"  What  time  is  it,  if  you  please,  ma'am  ?  "  was  the 
continually  repeated  question  when  I  went  near  her. 

"I  don't  expect  any  one  to  see  me,"  was  the  re 
mark  of  the  volatile  O'Brien. 

"  Then  why  do  you  stand  at  the  window  so  much 
to  watch  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  want  to  see  who  comes  to  see  the  others.  I 
want  to  see  if  anybody  comes  in  that  I  know." 

Then,  the  restless  thing  would  mount  the  window 
seat.  "  There  goes  Johnny,  or  Charley,  or  Jimmy,  or 
Dolan."  She  either  saw  some  of  her  old  associates, 
with  her  "  two  eyes,"  or  through  the  vision  of  her 
imagination.  Her  suppositions,  as  to  whom  they 
came  to  see,  were  as  active  as  her  curiosity  to  see 
who  came. 

For  the  last  time  the  steam  woman  asked,  — 

"  It  is  five  yet,  ma'am  ?  " 


VISITING  DAY.  159 

I  looked  at  my  watch.  "Yes,  Allen,  and  five 
minutes  past." 

She  dropped  upon  a  low  table,  by  which  she  stood, 
and  burst  into  tears. 

I  walked  round  the  kitchen  a  few  times  to  let  her 
fret  spend  itself;  then  I  went  back,  and  stood  by  her 
side. 

"  How  many  children  have  you,  Allen  ?  " 

"  Three,  ma'am  ;  two  boys  and  a  girl." 

"If  they  were  not  all  right  your  husband  would 
have  come,  or  sent  some  one  to  tell  you." 

"  That's  what  I'm  afraid  of,  ma'am.  The  little  girl 
has  had  a  fever.  I'm  afraid  she  is  worse,  or  has 
died,  and  my  husband  hates  to  tell  me." 

"  Perhaps  he  couldn't  leave  his  work.  What  does 
he  do  ?  " 

He's  a  house-builder,  ma'am.  He's  one  of  the  best 
workmen,  ma'am,  and  they  don't  like  to  let  him  go. 
He  gets  three  dollars  a  day,  and  now  he  has  the 
whole  care  of  the  childer." 

"  What  did  you  come  in  here  for,  Allen  ?  " 

"  Shoplifting,  ma'am." 

"  With  your  husband  earning  three  dollars  a  day 
you  had  no  excuse  ;  that  was  enough  to  keep  you 
comfortably." 

"  So  it  would,  ma'am,  if  I  had  been  contented.  I 
don't  know  what  made  me,  —  I  got  a  hankering  for 
it.  It  was  eighteen  years  ago,  I  was  going  out  to 
buy  me  a  silk  dress,  and  one  of  my  comrades  went 
with  me.  I  stood  looking  at  a  piece  of  silk,  and  was 


160  WOMAN   IN  PRISON. 

going  to  buy  it.  She  touched  my  shoulder,  « don't 
buy  that  till  we  look  in  another  store ! '  When  we 
got  out  she  showed  me  a  piece  of  silk  that  she  had 
under  her  shawl.  She  got  it  while  I  was  looking  at 
the  other.  After  that  we  used  to  go  together." 

"  Did  you  ever  get  caught  before  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am ;  I  was  in  here  seven  years  ago." 

"  And  for  eighteen  years  you  have  followed  that 
wicked  life,  constantly,  and  never  got  caught  but 
twice." 

"  I  never  stole  from  the  poor.  It  was  from  those 
that  could  well  afford  to  spare  it.  I  always  took  the 
richest  of  silks  and  satins  and  velvets  and  linens. 
Sometimes  I  had  seven  or  eight  hundred  dollars' 
worth  at  a  time." 

There  was  an  exhibition  of  pride  in  her  statement. 

The  larger  the  crime,  the  more  honorable,  she 
thought.  A  strange  code  of  honesty,  but  a  very 
common  one,  it  would  be  found,  if  the  practical  prin 
ciples  of  every  person  were  subjected  to  analysis. 

"  But  you  had  no  right  to  the  goods ;  you  paid 
nothing  for  them." 

"  It  is  the  way  they  do.  If  a  rich  customer  goes 
into  one  of  those  big  stores,  they  ask  him  a  big  price. 
If  a  poorer  one  comes  in,  and  they  think  he  knows 
what  a  thing  is  worth,  they  don't  ask  him  so  much. 
What  is  that  but  stealing  ?  " 

"  Their  doing  wrong  does  not  make  it  right  for 
you  to  do  wrong.  What  did  you  do  with  what  you 
took  ?  " 

"  Sometimes  I  used  it,  and  sometimes  I  sold  it  at 


SITING  DAT.  161 

people's  doors.    I  went  out  West  a  great  many  times 
with  a  lot." 

"  What  did  you  intend  to  do  with  your  money  ?  " 

"  Buy  a  big  house,  and  live  in  the  fashion,  when 
the  childer  get  up." 

"  Do  you  think  you  would  enjoy  a  house  bought 
with  money  got  in  that  way  ?  " 
.    "  Most  of  the  big  houses  are  bought  with  money 
got  in  that  way.     I  know  many  a  person  as  has  car 
ried  on  the  business  for  years,  and  got  rich  by  it." 

"  The  business  of  shoplifting !  then  the  crime  has 
become  dignified  into  a  business."  Rather  a  liberal 
translation  of  the  example  set,  I  thought. 

"  Did  your  husband  know  what  you  were  doing  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

"  Did  he  approve  of  it  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am ;  he  always  warned  me,  and  some 
times  forbid  me.  But  as  soon  as  he  was  off  to  his 
work,  I  would  shift  my  clothes  and  go  out.  I  hurried 
back,  and  got  them  shifted  again  before  he  came 
home  ;  and  he  wouldn't  know  it  till  I  had  got  a  great 
many  pieces." 

"  Does  he  turn  against  you  now  ?  " 

"  0  no !  He  is  a  good  man  ;  and  he  cried  when  I 
came  here,  —  for  me  and  the  poor  childer.  He  pitied 
me,  and  told  me  how  hard  it  would  be  on  me,  seein' 
I  was  never  used  to  it." 

Crazy  Manhattan  came  up  just  in  time  to  hear  the 
last  sentence. 

"  An'  sure  it  is  hard  on  her !    I've  known  her  out- 
11 


162  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

side,  and  she's  not  bein'  used  to  lift  her  finger  to 
work." 

"  She  had  better  have  been,  than  to  have  been 
lifting  her  finger  to  take  other  people's  goods." 

"  Give  me  a  slice  of  bread,  ma'am,  an'  you  please ! 
I've  been  ironing  in  the  wash-room,  and  I've  done 
your  own  things  beautifully.  Don't  tell  the  Dep 
uty  ! "  she  said,  as  she  slipped  it  under  her  apron 
and  ran  away. 

"I  knew  her  a  little  outside,"  said  the  steam 
woman  ;  "  but  she  was  nothing  but  a  house  thief! " 

Well,  well !  the  fashions  of  society  obtain  among 
thieves  as  well  as  the  principles.  A  shop  lifter  ranks 
in  a  higher  grade  than  a  house  thief. 

I  talked  with  Allen  some  time,  and  tried  to  show 
her  that  whatever  others  might  do  was  no  excuse  for 
her  in  wrong  doing.  At  last  she  admitted  it ;  but 
wound  up  by  saying,  — 

"Ise  got  such  an  itching  in  my  fingers  for  it,  I 
couldn't  help  taking  the  things." 

The  patience  which  is  required  to  inculcate  right 
principles,  where  wrong  ones  have  been  practiced  for 
half  a  century,  is  incalculable.  But  it  does  not  come 
in  comparison  with  that  which  is  exercised  towards 
us  by  the  long-suffering  Father  of  our  spirits. 


XVIII. 

CALL  AH  AN    AGAIN. 

I  STOOD  by  the  mush-boiler,  one  morning,  calcu 
lating  the  probabilities  of  having  that  delicacy  well 
cooked  by  eleven  o'clock,  so  that  a  second  edition 
might  be  issued  before  night,  when  I  heard  the  cry 
out  in  the  prison,  — 

"  Callahan  is  coming  !  Callahan  is  coming !  they've 
had  an  awful  row  at  the  shop  ! " 

I  had  some  idea  of  what  a  row  with  Callahan 
meant.  I  had  been  told  that  she  had  snatched  the 
Master's  wig  from  his  head,  torn  it  in  bits,  and  scat 
tered  it  to  the  winds ;  that  she  had  pulled  the 
Deputy's  watch  from  his  pocket,  and  stamped  it  be 
neath  her  feet;  that  she  had  ripped  their«coats  open 
with  her  fingers,  and  scratched  their  faces  like  a  cat. 
I  had  heard  that  she  gloried  in  being  the  worst 
tempered  woman  in  the  shop,  in  being  stronger  than 
a  man,  and  bragged  that  it  took  two  to  confine  her. 
To  me  she  had  always  been  respectful  and  obedient, 
even  when  in  solitary. 

Once,  when  I  saw  her  speak  while  marching  into 
prison,  I  '•  admonished  "  her. 

"  Cnllahan,  you  know  it  is  against  the  rules  to  talk 
when  you  are  coming  in ;  you  won't  do  it  again  ?  " 


1(54  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  No,  ma'am  ;  but  Callahan  isn't  my  name,  now ; 
that  was  my  first  husband's  name.  It  is  Good- 
enough,  now.  Please  call  me  Goodenough  ! " 

"  I  will  call  you  so ;  and  I  hope  you  will  be  good 
enough  when  you  are  under  my  care." 

"  I  will  be  good  when  I  am  under  your  care." 
That  was  all  the  experience  I  had  had  in  reprov- 
ing?  or  punishing,  Callahan  when  she  had  offended 
in  my  presence.     And  that  was  the  only  offense  she 
had  committed. 

The  noise  of  voices  grew  loud  in  the  yard.  O'Brien 
came  running  up  to  me,  — 

"  Please  come  out  here,  ma'am.  They  have  had 
an  awful  time  with  Callahan,  I  know  by  the  way  she 
swears  ;  but  she  will  mind  you  if  you  speak  to  her. 
She  behaves  well  enough  if  she  is  only  treated  half 
decent." 

I  went  to  the  door.  Callahan  was  coming  up  the 
walk  between  two  officers,  raving  frightfully,  shout 
ing  and  swearing.  When  she  came  into  the  entry 
she  smashed  her  hand  through  every  pane  of  glass 
that  she  could  reach,  gashing  her  arms  and  spatter 
ing  the  blood  on  the  floor  and  walls. 

As  soon  as  I  could  get  her  attention,  which  it  took 
me  some  time  to  do,  she  was  so  excited,  I  spoke  to 
her,  — 

"  Callahan,  stop !  haven't  you  promised  to  be  a 
good  woman  when  you  are  with  me  ?  " 

She  looked  at  me,  lowered  her  voice,  but  kept  on 
with  her  talk.     In  a  few  moments  I  spoke  again,  — 
"  Callahan,  stop  ! " 


CALLAHAN  AGAIN.  165 

She  turned  to  me,  and  answered,  but  pleasantly,  — 

"  Can't  the  Deputy  take  care  of  me  ? " 

"  Certainly  !  but  you  ought  to  have  respect  enough 
to  my  feelings  to  talk  decently  where  I  am." 

"  I  have  cut  my  hands  awfully  ;  "  and  she  held  out 
her  arm  towards  me. 

"  Yes,  you  have.     Shall  I  bind  it  up  for  you  ?  " 

I  sent  for  bandages  and  water,  and  bound  up  her 
hands  and  arms.  She  washed  the  blood-stains  from 
her  clothes,  and  made  herself  tidy. 

"  That  will  do,  Callahan  !  We  want  to  lock  you  in 
now." 

She  looked  at  the  key  which  I  held  in  my  hand. 

"  I  am  ready  ;  lock  me  up." 

The  key  was  turned,  and  Callahan  was  in  solitary 
again. 

Not  long  afterwards,  when  all  was  quiet,  I  passed 
her  door.  She  called  to  me,  — 

"  Look  here  !  " 

"  Well,  Callahan." 

"  I'm  sorry  I  talked  so  bad  before  you ;  but  I  was 
so  mad  I  didn't  know  what  I  said.  I've  got  no  spite 
against  you." 

"  I  am  sorry  you  have  against  any  one." 

"  O  that  she-d— 1  in  the  shop  !  I'd  send  her  into 
eternity  if  I  could  get  hold  of  her  ! " 

"  Stop,  Callahan  !  will  you  be  gentle  and  patient 
while  you  are  here  with  me  ?  " 

"Yes,  for  you  I  will.  But  look  here!  my  arm 
pains  me,  and  it's  swelled  awfully !  I'm  afraid  there's 
glass  in  it." 


1G6  WOMAN  IN  PHIS  ON. 

"  I  think  you  can  see  the  Doctor  if  you  wish.  I 
thiffk  he  had  better  see  it.  I'll  go  ask  the  Deputy  to 
send  him  in." 

"  Thank  you ;  I  wish  you  would.  I'm  afraid 
there's  glass  in  it,  and  it  will  be  awful  sore  if  it  stays 
there." 

I  whistled  for  the  Deputy,  told  him  what  Callahan 
said,  and  he  sent  the  Doctor  in. 

When  she  was  first  locked  in  he  had  told  me  not 
to  open  her  cell  unless  he  were  present.  He  was  a 
new  Deputy  who  had  come  into  office  that  day,  and 
evidently  felt  the  responsibility  that  was  attached  to 
his  office,  and  the  consequence  it  gave  him. 

u  You  will  come  round  when  it  is  time  to  give  her 
food  ?  " 

"Yes." 

I  thought  he  was  afraid  of  her  violence ;  but  I 
had  no  apprehension  on  that  score,  so  when  the  Doc 
tor  came,  not  thinking  of  the  order,  I  opened  the 
cell  as  I  had  always  done  under  the  other  Deputy.  I 
had  occasion  to  think,  afterwards,  that  he  did  not 
wish  her  to  tell  her  own  story,  unless  it  was  in  his 
presence  ;  or  intended  to  prevent  her  altogether. 

The  front  door  of  the  kitchen  stood  open,  and  the 
Doctor  came  in  that  way  without  seeing  any  of  the 
officers. 

"  What  is  the  matter  here  ? "  he  asked  in  his  jolly 
way  ;  **  who  is  cut  to  pieces  ?  " 

*'  Callahan  has  cut  herself/'  I  answered,  as  I  went 
to  get  the  key  to  open  her  cell. 


CALL  AH  AN  AGAIN.  167 

"  How  did  she  do  it  ?  " 

"  She  got  angry  and  struck  her  hand  through  the 
window." 

"  Is  that  the  way  you  do  when  you  get  angry  ?  " 

"  Did  you  come  here  to  treat  me  ?  " 

"  "Women  are  a  great  deal  alike,  are  they  not  ?  " 

"  You  make  an  assertion,  and  ask  me  to  confirm 
it." 

"Isn't  it  so?" 

"  As  much  alike  as  different  men,  if  you  are  really 
interested  to  know  my  opinion." 

"  How  about  the  other  ?  " 

"  You  wish  to  understand  my  disposition,  do  you  ? 
I  am  happy  to  gratify  you  on  that  point  so  far  as  my 
knowledge  goes.  There  is  method  in  my  madness. 
I  usually  consider  the  matter  awhile,  or  sulk  ;  then, 
make  a  thorough  application  of  the  dictionary  to  the 
offending  party.  Look  out  for  yourself  or  you  may 
get  a  blow  sometime  from  Webster's  Unabridged." 

I  had  opened  the  black  cell  door. 

u  What  are  you  in  here  again  for  so  soon,  Calla- 
han  ?  Let  me  see  your  arm." 

She  reached  out  her  arm,  and  the  Doctor  took  off 
the  bandages. 

"  I'll  tell  you  the  truth,  Doctor." 

"  Tell  away." 

"  I  called  to  little  red-headed  Jones,  —  you  know 
that  little  dumpy  thing  that  fetches  the  work  for  us, 
—  I  called  to  Jones  to  fetch  me  some  work.  She 
was  talking  to  that  little  fire-brand  of  a  Harlan  that 


168  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

takes  care  of  the  engine  in  the  work-room.  Well, 
you  see,  she  felt  so  nice  to  be  taken  notice  of  by 
Harlan,  that  she  wouldn't  mind  when  I  spoke.  She 
pretended  not  to  hear.  I  called  louder,  '  Jones, 
fetch  me  some  work/  Jones  was  mad  then,  and 
said,  *  I'll  fetch  it  when  I  please.'  Then  I  told  her 
to  fetch  me  some  work  now,  and  do  her  talking  after 
wards  :  '  That's  what  you're  here  for,'  I  said.  Har 
lan  was  mad,  and  went  straight  out  into  the  men's 
shop  and  reported  me.  The  Master  and  the  Deputy 
came  right  in,  and  made  towards  me.  I  was  mad ; 
for  if  anybody  was  reported  it  ought  to  be  Harlan 
and  Jones,  for  it  is  against  the  rules  for  them  to  be 
talking  together ;  but  'twasn't  against  the  rules  for 
me  to  ask  for  work.  When  I  saw  the  Master  and  the 
Deputy  coming  straight  to  me,  to  lock  me  up,  I 
pulled  up  a  chair  to  knock  him  down,  I  was  so  mad 
to  think  I  was  going  to  be  locked  up  for  nothing,  and 
Jones  to  be  let  go  when  she  had  been  breaking  the 
rules.  And  Harlan  to  report  me,  when  he  helped 
her  break  'em.  The  little  spit-fire  !  " 

"  Why  didn't  you  wait  and  see  if  you  were  going 
to  be  locked  up,  and  tell  the  Master  how  it  was,  be 
fore  you  took  up  a  chair  to  strike  him  down  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  She's  green,  Doctor !  Tell  him  !  he  wouldn't  let 
me  tell  him  anything !  Many's  the  time  I've  been 
locked  up  and  didn't  know  what  'twas  for.  Look 
here,  wouldn't  it  make  you  mad  to  be  locked  up 
when  you  wasn't  to  blame  ?  Look  here,  do  you  blame 
me  for  being  mad  ?  " 


CALL  AH  AN  AGAIN.  169 

I  could  not  say  yes,  and  tell  the  truth.  There  is 
not  a  human  heart  but  what  would  resent  such  injus 
tice.  There  are  but  few  who  would  not  resist  it  if 
they  could.  I  could  not  say  no,  because  it  might 
be  construed  into  encouraging  insubordination.  I 
did  not  feel  it  incumbent  on  me  to  think  the  Master 

in  the  ri°-ht  because  he  was  the  Master,  and  she  the 

t 

convict  I  deliberately  committed  the  vulgarity  of 
listening  to  a  convict's  story ;  but  did  not  think  it 
necessary  to  tell  her  my  thoughts. 

"  Callahan,  you  mustn't  ask  me  such  questions.  I 
am  sorry  for  you,  and  will  make  you  as  comfortable 
as  I  can." 

The  doctor  put  some  compresses  on  her  arm,  wet 
them  with  water,  and  ordered  her  some  to  drink. 

"  Some  water  for  Callahan  to  drink  !  Quick !  The 
doctor  has  ordered  it ! "  I  echoed.  I  thought  I  heard 
an  officer's  step  at  the  farther  end  of  the  prison,  and 
it  was  a  legitimate  supposition  that  if  it  were  the  new 
Deputy,  who  was  coming,  she  would  get  no  such  favor. 
Unless  she  got  the  water  and  drank  it  before  he 
came,  she  would  not  get  it  at  all. 

It  had  been  whispered  to  me  that  the  Master  had 
thrown  Callahan  on  the  floor  in  his  anger,  when  she 
caught  up  the  chair,  and  put  his  foot  on  her  neck. 
I  saw  a  mark  of  dirt  on  the  lower  part  of  her  cheek 
and  neck.  I  looked  closely  at  it.  The  skin  was 
grazed  as  though  a  boot- heel  had  been  ground 
against  it. 

"  Callahan,  what  is  that  dirt  on  your  cheek  and 
neck  ?  "  I  asked. 


170  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

She  put  up  her  hand  and  passed  it  across  her 
face  and  neck  at  the  place  where  I  saw  the  dirt. 
She  knew  exactly  where  to  find  the  mark  of  which  I 
spoke.  The  boot  had  evidently  been  there. 

«  He  did  hurt  me  some,"  she  said. 

"  Who  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  The  Master,  he  put  his  foot  on  me." 

"  On  your  cheek  and  neck  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

"What  for?" 

«  To  hold  me  down." 

"  Let  me  see." 

I  examined  the  flesh  ;  it  was  a  little  discolored  as 
though  it  had  been  bruised.  It  was  evident  that  the 
tale  that  had  been  told  me  was  true.  Was  it  neces 
sary  for  that  man  —  or  the  monster  —  in  taking  the 
chair  away  from  that  woman,  with  two  men  to  help 
him,  to  throw  her  upon  the  floor,  and  place  his  foot 
on  her  neck  ? 

"  He  was  pretty  well  seas  over.  Pie's  always  sav 
age  when  he  is.  I  knew  he'd  just  had  a  horn  when  I 
saw  him  coming,  and  that's  one  thing  made  me  mad. 
Look  here;  folks  are  sent  down  here  for  getting 
drunk.  Do  you  think  it'll  ever  cure  'em  to  put  a 
drunkard  over  'em  ?  " 

1  did  not  make  Callahan  any  reply  ;  but  I  thought 
of  the  old  proverb.  "  It  takes  a  rogue  to  catch  a 
rogue  ;  "  but  whether  a  rogue  may  be  advantageously 
set  to  cure  one,  is  another  question,  and  one  upon 
which  a  great  deal  of  discussion  might  be  spent,  be- 


CALL  AH  AN  AGAIN.  171 

fore  popular  judgment  would  decide  it  in  the  affirm 
ative. 

Callahan  had  just  finished  washing  the  dirt  from 
her  face  when  the  Deputy  made  his  appearance. 

"  I  gave  the  order  that  Callahan's  cell  should  not 
be  opened  unless  I  was  here." 

"  The  doctor  came,  I  supposed  you  sent  him,  and 
opened  the  cell  door  as  I  always  do  for  him." 

"  What  way  did  he  come  in  ?  " 

"  Through  the  front  door  of  the  kitchen,  as  he 
often  does." 

I  was  not  sorry  for  the  mistake. 

That  evening  Mrs.  Hardback  told  me  they  were 
determined  to  break  Callahan's  temper.  They  had 
got  her  pretty  well  under ;  but  it  was  not  quite  broken. 

Her  constitution  was  in  a  fair  way  to  be  broken, 
her  temper  might  share  the  same  fate.  If  to  teach 
her  to  control  her  temper  were  what  was  meant,  a 
very  unfit  method  was  adopted  to  effect  the  purpose. 

How  can  one  person  teach  another  to  control  his 
temper  when  he  is  ignorant  of  the  way,  and  does  not 
practice  the  government  of  his  own  ? 

When  I  was  left  alone  in  the  prison,  I  sat  down 
before  Callahan's  cell  door.  I  thought  over  the 
object  of  punishment.  Is  it  intended  to  deter  the 
vicious  from  continuing  in  crime  ?  That  is  the  ap 
parent  object.  Then,  ought  it  not  to  be  adapted  to 
the  crime,  and  administered  by  those  who  are  free 
from  the  same  faults?  Instead  of  that,  it  was  left,  in 
this  instance,  an  almost  irresponsible  power,  in  the 


172  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

hands  of  ignorance  and  cruelty,  and  if  report  were 
not  mistaken,  of  kindred  sin. 

I  thought,  some  mother's  heart  is  aching  for  you, 
poor  Callahan  ;  such  treatment  as  you  receive  here, 
will  never  lead  you  to  make  it  ache  the  less.  Injus 
tice  and  severity  will  never  soften  your  heart,  or  en 
lighten  your  understanding.  God  pity  you,  and 
interpose  in  your  behalf! 

"  What  are  you  thinking  of?  "  asked  Callahan. 

"  How  did  you  know  that  I  was  thinking  ?  " 

"  I  looked  through  the  key-hole,  and  saw  you 
looking  straight  to  the  floor,  biting  your  nails." 

"  I  was  thinking  of  you,  Callahan." 

"  You  was  thinking  what  a  wicked  wretch  I  am  ?  " 

"  I  wish  you  might  become  better,  and  never  come 
in  this  place  again.  It  is  a  great  deal  of  suffering 
for  so  little  comfort  as  you  can  take  in  sin.  Won't 
you  try  to  do  better,  Callahan  ?  " 

"  I  can't  in  here.  They  are  just  as  bad  as  I  am 
that  put  me  in  here,  and  they'll  never  make  me  any 
better." 

There  was  the  injustice  for  which  she  had  suffered 
rankling  in  her  heart. 

"  It  is  more  what  we  do  ourselves  than  what 
others  do  to  us  which  makes  us  happy  or  unhappy." 

"  It's  what  they've  done  to  me  that  makes  me  un 
happy,  and  if  ever  I  catch  them outside,  I'll  pay 

'em  back,  —  I  will,  if  I  go  to  h — 1  for  it !  " 

"  Callahan,  Callahan,  be  patient  and  gentle !  Don't 
think  of  any  wicked  things  to  do  outside,  but  think 


CALL  AH  AN  AGAIN.  173 

how  to  behave  so  that  you  can  stay  there.  Remem 
ber  it  was  for  your  own  deeds  that  you  came  in  here. 
If  you  hadn't  been  in  here,  they  couldn't  have  put 
you  in  the  black  cell.  Be  gentle  and  patient  while 
you  are  here,  now  that  it  can't  be  helped,  and  never 
come  again." 

"  For  you,  I  will ;  and  I'll  try  not  to  go  in  the 
ways  that  bring  me  here.  But  if  I  should  meet  them, 
I  know  I  should  forget  it  all.  I  should  think  about 
it,  and  it  would  make  me  so  mad.  If  I  was  out  of 
the  right  way,  and  got  in  here,  the  Master  had  no 
right  to  lock  me  up  here  for  what  I  did  not  do." 

I  had  no  justification  of  that  proceeding  to  offer, 
so  I  said  nothing  more. 

"  Will  you  please  give  me  a  drink  of  water  ? " 
asked  Callahan  in  a  moment. 

"  Callahan,  you  know  that  I  cannot !  Why  do  you 
hurt  my  feelings  by  asking  me  ?" 

"You  have  the  keys,  —  you  could  give  it  to  rne, 
and  the  Deputy  would  never  know  it.  If  you  knew 
how  dry  I  am  you  would. " 

"  I  cannot,  Callahan.  When  I  go  out  of  here  I 
can  tell  those  who  make  the  rules,  how  hard  it  is  to 
go  so  long  without  drinking,  and  how  tiresome  it  is 
to  lie,  and  sit,  and  stand  on  the  stones,  and  perhaps 
they  will  change  them  ;  but  I  cannot  disobey." 

"  0  dear  ! "  she  sighed,  and  began  to  sing.  Every 
sound  went  through  my  heart  like  the  stab  of  a 
sharp  knife.  If  that  were  my  child  !  was  the  agoniz 
ing  thought  Wrhat  keeps  my  children  from  such  a 


174  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

fate  ?  The  loving  care  of  Him  who  holds  the  hearts 
of  all  in  His  hand.  I  could  have  gone  prostrate  on 
the  cold  stones  to  thank  Him  that  He  had  saved 
them  from  such  a  fate,  and  me  from  such  an  agony 
of  sorrow.  How  can  I  show  my  gratitude  ?  By  try 
ing  to  make  less  hard  the  hapless  lot  of  the  unfor 
tunates  around  me,  and  teaching  them  in  the  princi 
ples  that  lead  to  better  practices. 

My  tears  almost  choked  my  utterance  as  I  called 
to  her,  "  Callahan,  stop  that  singing  unless  you  mean 
to  break  my  heart ! " 

O'Brien  had  been  standing  on  the  steps  that  led 
to  the  kitchen,  only  a  few  feet  from  me.  She  came 
along  and  sat  down  on  a  low  stool  at  my  feet. 

"  How  different  you  are  to  what  I  thought  you 
was  when  you  came  in  here.  You  stepped  round  so 
square  and  independent,  I  thought  we  had  got  a 
hard  mistress." 

"  Look  here  !  "  said  Callahan,  "  it  does  me  good 
to  speak  to  you  sometimes.  It  is  easier  to  be  patient, 
and  the  time  don't  seem  so  long.  Look  here  !  Do 
you  love  Hardhack?" 

"  I  know  very  little  about  her." 

"  I  heard  her  in  the  kitchen  scolding  awhile  ago, 
and  you  took  it  as  cool  as  could  be.  If  I'd  been 
you  I'd  put  her  out.  She  has  no  right  to  come  in 
your  place  and  give  orders.  It  sets  me  crazy  to  hear 
her." 

"If  I  could  not  keep  my  own  temper  when  I  am 
annoyed,  how  could  I  teach  you  to  keep  yours  ?  " 


C ALLAH  AN  AGAIN.  175 

"  That's  it,"  said  O'Brien.  "  Hardback  gets  mad 
in  the  shop,  and  scolds  us,  and  we  scold  back ;  and 
then  we  get  punished.  I  wish  there  was  somebody 
to  report  her,  too." 

"  Girls,  did  you  ever  hear  of  One  who  said,  *  Love 
your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you  '  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  I  never  saw  anybody  do  it,"  said 
O'Brien. 

"  Did  you  ever  try  to  do  it,  Callahan  ?  " 

"  No  !  I  always  thought  'twas  all  moonshine.  It'll 
do  to  preach  about." 

"  It  will  do  to  practice,  too.  Suppose  you  try  it 
towards  Mrs.  Hardhack,  and  see  how  much  happier 
you  will  feel." 

"  Ha !  ha !  ha  !  "  resounded  through  the  prison  in 
continuous  echoes. 

"  It  has  done  me  good  to  laugh.  I  don't  feel  half 
so  mad  with  her  as  I  did." 

"  O'Brien,  I  came  very  near  sending  you  to  the 
shop  to-day,  when  you  scolded  Allen  so  hard.  Be 
careful  or  you  will  change  your  mistress  before  you 
know  it.  You  keep  me  in  constant  anxiety  lest  the 
Deputy,  or  some  of  the  other  Matrons  should  come 
in  and  hear  you.  In  that  case  it  would  be  beyond 
my  power  to  help  you." 

"  If  YOU  do  send  me  to  the  shop  you  will  have  me 
home  again  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours,  one  of 
your  bread-and-water  boarders." 

She  understood  how  to  meet  that  threat. 

"  I  don't  know  but  Hardhack  will  get  me  into  sol- 


X76  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

itary  as  it  is.  When  she  came  through  the  kitchen 
this  noon,  she  saw  me  eating  a  piece  of  fish  with  my 
bread,  —  we'd  been  stripping  it  off  for  the  hash,  and 
I  took  a  piece.  She  asked  me  who  gave  me  liberty 
to  eat  fish.  I  told  her,  nobody.  She  asked  me  how 
I  dared  to  eat  that  fish  without  permission.  I  should 
have  made  her  a  saucy  answer  only  I  knew  it  would 
make  you  feel  bad,  so  I  didn't  say  anything." 

"  I  am  glad  you  had  so  much  thought,  and  exer 
cised  so  much  self-control." 

"I  wasn't  afraid  of  Hardback." 

"I  am  glad  you  had  so  much  regard  for  me.  It 
gives  me  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  to  know  of  your 
good  behavior.  Don't  you  feel  better,  yourself,  for 
doing  what  is  right  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am  ;  I  do  !  and  when  you  tell  me  I  do 
right,  it  makes  me  feel  quite  like  a  woman  again  ;  as 
though  I  was  somebody." 

Self-respect  goes  a  long  way  towards  creating  good 
behavior,  and  commendation  given,  where  it  is  de 
served,  produces  that  effect.  I  watched  for  a  chance 
to  praise  them  when  they  did  well,  and  bestowed  the 
approval  wherever  I  could  find  the  opportunity. 

There  was  no  lack  of  discrimination  on  their  part. 
They  were  aware  when  they  committed  intentional 
wrong,  and,  as  a  rule,  acknowledged  it  when  rebuked 
in  a  kind  spirit.  With  the  same  understanding  they 
appreciated  the  praise  when  it  was  deserved.  Grat 
itude  was  aroused  when  it  was  given,  and  the  satis 
faction  they  enjoyed  was  an  incentive  to  strive  to 
obtain  more. 


CALL  AH  AN  AGAIN.  177 

I  had  constant  proof  that  the  exercise  of  kindness 
was  far  more  effectual  in  getting  my  work  done  than 
that  of  stern  authority. 

That  afternoon  I  had  wished  O'Brien  to  take 
more  pains  with  her  scrubbing,  and  had  said  to 
her,  — 

"  Your  floor  looks  red  and  nice,"  —  the  kitchen 
floor  was  of  brick,  —  "  but  do  you  notice  that  soiled 
strip  in  that  corner,  under  the  table  ?  A  dingy  bor 
der  spoils  all  the  effect  of  your  labor." 

"  Yes,  ma'am.  I  saw  it  when  I  was  scrubbing ; 
but  I  was  so  tired,  and  my  shoulder  ached  so  bad 
that  I  didn't  touch  it." 

"  I  am  sorry  your  shoulder  aches,  and  I  know 
you  are  tired  ;  but  I  like  to  see  the  place  look  nice." 

"  I  know  you  do ;  I'll  go  right  now  and  take  it 
away." 

Kindness  begets  kindness.  There  are  few  human 
beings  so  totally  depraved,  desperately  wicked  as 
some  may  be,  who  cannot  be  aroused  into  apprecia 
tion  of  kind  treatment.  I  have  never  met  with  one 
who  could  not.  So  harshness  in  a  superior  begets 
harshness  in  an  inferior;  and  constant  fault  finding 
either  arouses  anger  from  its  injustice,  or  paralyzes 
all  effort  to  do  well. 

As  are  the  manners  of  those  who  lead,  so  are  the 
manners  of  those  who  follow.  As  a  matter  of  pol 
icy,  to  restrain  crime  without  regard  to  the  teaching 
of  religion,  those  who  have  charge  of  convicts  should 
be  gentle  and  humane. 
12 


XIX. 

DISCOMFORTS,   AND    THE    END. 

A  VERY  few  days  after  I  entered  the  institution,  I 
gave  up  looking  for  any  consideration  from  any  one 
but  the  Deputy. 

It  was  a  rule  of  the  place  to  shift  every  labor, 
when  it  could  be  effected,  by  the  one  to  whom  it 
belonged,  upon  some  other  person.  That  is,  in  the 
female  department.  The  example  set  by  the  Head 
Matron  was  considered  worthy  of  imitation,  and 
copied  with  an  accuracy  deserved  by  a  better  one. 

To  impose  upon  an  officer,  ignorant  of  the  ways 
of  the  place,  was  a  favorite  entertainment  of  some  of 
the  others. 

They  commenced  to  hand  me  along  from  one 
to  another  when  I  wished  for  things  to  use,  or  for 
information,  giving  me  a  long  chase  to  find  it;  but 
a  short  time,  only,  was  required  to  extinguish  that 
entertainment.  I  refused  to  take  orders  or  infor 
mation  from  any  one  but  the  Deputy. 

My  inquiries  of  him,  and  statements  of  what  I 
had  been  told,  exposed  them.  They  got  reproof 
instead  of  entertainment,  which,  of  course,  created 
resentment  that  vented  itself  in  a  thousand  of  those 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND   THE  END.  179 

little  annoying  inventions  in  which  unamiable  women 
are  so  ingenious. 

The  reprisals  Mrs.  Hardhack  made  did  not  always 
redound  to  my  inconvenience  alone,  —  my  women 
came  in  for  a  share  in  the  retaliation.  A  new  Re 
ceiving  Matron  was  told  to  take  no  trouble  about 
the  dresses  of  my  women  in  the  kitchen,  —  it  was  no 
matter  how  they  looked.  The  shorter  she  kept  them, 
the  better  the  Master  would  like  it.  The  less  they 
had  to  wear  the  more  money  would  be  saved  to  the 
institution.  In  consequence,  dresses  sufficient  to 
make  them  decent  were  withheld. 

I  made  a  statement  of  some  of  these  things  to  the 
Deputy.  He  said,  — 

"  The  Matrons  have  been  in  the  habit  of  settling 
those  small  matters  among  themselves." 

"  So  we  might  if  either  of  us  had  the  authority  to 
dictate.  If  Mrs.  Hardhack  has  the  authority  to  con 
trol,  and  gives  the  order  that  my  women  are  to  go 
dirty  and  ragged,  as  you  see  them,  I  appeal  to  you. 
Just  look  at  them  as  you  see  them  now.  Those 
dresses  are  all  they  have,  and  I  can  get  no  better 
without  an  order  from  you." 

He  looked  at  them.  The  angry  color  flashed  into 
his  face,  and  his  teeth  were  set  together.  In  about 
two  hours  tidy  dresses  were  sent  in  to  my  women. 

I  went  on, — 

"  If  she  has  no  authority,  but  is  meddling  to 
make  mischief,  will  you  please  see  that  she  does  it 
no  longer.  I  know  it  is  not  the  Deputy's  business  to 


180  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

be  settling  these  little  disagreements  among  the 
Matrons ;  but  I  have  no  one  else  to  go  to.  We  have 
no  one  to  regulate  these  matters  for  us  but  you.  You 
call  them  small  matters ;  so  they  may  be  to  one  who 
looks  on  ;  but  our  life,  every  day,  is  made  up  of 
them.  And  if  you  take  them  home,  and  make  them 
your  own,  you  will  not  think  them  so  very  small. 
Neither  you  nor  I  would  consider  it  a  small  matter  to 
go  dirty  and  ragged.  Would  you  allow  one  of  your 
male  officers  to  keep  the  men  who  are  under  another 
officer  dirty  and  ragged,  out  of  sheer  malice,  or  for 
any  reason  ?  " 

"  They  could  not  do  it,  —  I  should  not  allow  it." 
li  And  you  are  there  to  see  it,  and  have  the  author 
ity  to  prevent  it.  And  as  you  have  undertaken  to 
do  the  duty  of  the  Head  Officer  on  this  side,  I  see 
no  other  way  but  to  appeal  to  you  in  these  cases  of 
ours.  1  have  no  authority  to  prevent  the  mischievous 
interference  of  Mrs.  Hardback  ;  and  to  aggravate, 
in  return,  I  cannot.  She  has  the  advantage  of  me 
in  the  disposition  and  ability  to  do  so.  She  has 
ample  opportunity  to  meddle  with  the  affairs  of  the 
other  Matrons,  because  they  are  sent  to  her  for  in 
struction  ;  and  also  to  give  her  interpretation  of  the 
Rules.  Mrs.  Hardhack  is  not  so  much  to  blame  for 
what  she  does.  She  is  only  following  the  bent  of  her 
own  disposition,  as  the  opportunity  to  do  so  is  given 
her.  The  Head  Matron  comes  to  me,  and  says,  — 
'  Control  your  own  place.  Mrs.  Hardhack  has 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  If  she  makes  trouble  with 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND   THE  END.  181 

another  Matron,  she  shall  surely  be  discharged.  She 
has  been  discharged  three  times,  and  begged  herself 
back  ;  but  if  we  say  to  her,  go  again,  she  will  surely 
go.'  Then  she  goes  to  Mrs.  Hardback,  and  says, — 
'  You  go  over  to  the  wash-room  and  tell  the  Receiv 
ing  Matron  about  her  place.  You  know  all  about  the 
Rules  and  things  better  than  I  do.  I  don't  know 
what  I  should  do  without  you.'  That  pleases  Mrs. 
Hardhack,  and  she  meddles  with  everything,  and 
makes  trouble  all  around." 

"  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  help  you." 

"  I  know  ;  but  I  am  tired.  The  care  is  altogether 
too  much,  and  the  mismanagement  of  the  place 
makes  it  intolerable.  Explain  to  the  Receiving 
Matron,  if  you  please,  that  she  is  under  obligation  to 
•wash  and  mend  the  clothes  of  my  women  the  same 
that  she  does  the  others,  and  give  them  out  another 
dress  when  one  fails." 

"  I  will  do  that." 

That  night  I  was  speaking  of  the  severe  labor 
required  of  the  officers  in  the  institution  to  Mrs. 
Hardhack.  She  turned  to  me,  and  said  roughly, — 

"  I  find  it  easy  enough." 

It  was  just  the  right  moment  for  me  to  tell  her 
why  she  found  it  so  much  easier  than  the  rest  of  us. 

"  You  may  well  find  it  so,  in  comparison  with  the 
rest  of  us.  You  have  an  hour  more  of  rest  in  the 
morning  than  I,  and  an  hour  more  at  night,  making 
nine  hours  of  rest  from  labor  in  the  twenty-four,  in 
stead  of  the  seven  that  I  have.  During  those  nine 


182  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

hours  you  are  entirely  free  from  care,  and  sleep  in  a 
quiet  room  in  the  house.  During  the  fifteen  that 
you  are  on  duty  you  have  the  entire  help  of  the  only 
Relief  Matron  in  the  institution,  which  ought  to  be 
divided  among  us  all,  so  that  you  can  go  out  when 
you  please." 

"  Perhaps,  when  you  have  been  in  the  institution 
as  long  as  I,  you  will  get  as  many  favors." 

"  I  could  not  take  them,  if  I  got  them  by  robbery. 
I  could  not  enjoy  my  liberty  if  the  work  which  be 
longed  to  me  were  imposed  upon  another,  making 
her  burden  double,  for  me  to  have  it." 

A  smart  rap  was  all  the  woman  could  feel.  I 
really  grew  in  her  esteem  by  cutting  her  up  with  my 
sharpness,  and  she  attempted  to  ingratiate  herself 
into  my  favor.  I  will  relate  how,  and  how  I  discov 
ered  it. 

The  next  night  I  was  called  to  lock  a  woman  in 
solitary.  She  walked  into  her  cell  in  silence,  and  I 
as  silently  turned  the  key  upon  her.  J  did  not  ask 
the  Deputy  why  she  was  put  there.  She  was  brought 
up  from  the  shop,  and  I  supposed  some  miserable 
tale  was  appended  to  her  incarceration  which  I  did 
not  care  to  know. 

The  next  morning,  when  I  went  to  give  her  bread 
and  water,  she  asked  me,  — 

"  Do  you  know  what  I  am  in  here  for  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  haven't  heard  them  say/' 

"  It  was  for  mocking  you.  I  know  it  was  wrong  ; 
but  the  others  did  it,  and  I  did  it  too,  and  I  got 
caught." 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND   THE  END.  183 

"  Who  caught  you  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Hardhack.  I  know  it  was  wrong,  I  was 
foolish,  but  I'll  never  do  it  again.  The  others  did 
it,  and  so  I  did  it,  too." 

"  And  you  hadn't  courage  to  do  right  when  others 
were  doing  wrong.  You  are  a  brave  girl !  Do  you 
know  that  there  must  be  order  kept  in  this  place,  and 
that  there  must  be  rules  in  order  to  keep  order,  and 
that  you  must  treat  those  who  have  the  rules  in 
charge  with  respect  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am  ;  and  I  never  will  do  it  again.  Will 
you  get  me  out  ?  " 

"  I'll  try;  but  you  must  always  treat  me  with  re 
spect,  and  all  of  the  other  officers  in  the  same  way. 
I  shall  never  intercede  for  you  again." 

"  I  will  never  give  you  any  reason  to." 

When  the  Deputy  came  round  I  asked,  — 

"  Is  Mary  Muran  in  solitary  for  mimicking  me  ?  " 

He  said,  "  Yes." 

"  Was  it  for  the  second  offense  ?  Had  she  been 
admonished  once  ?  " 

"  She  knew  better." 

"  Your  Rules  and  Regulations  make  no  conditions 
that  they  know  better.  They  shall  be  admonished 
once,  and,  for  the  second  offense  punished." 

"  They  wouldn't  do  exactly  the  same  thing  twice, 
perhaps  ;  but  they  would  do  something  as  near  like 
it  as  they  could." 

"  We  have  no  help  for  that,  if  we  obey  the  Rules." 

"  We  should  be  constantly  admonishing." 


184  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  Wouldn't  that  be  better  than  constantly  punish 
ing  ?  Isn't  it  better  to  err  on  the  side  of  mercy  than 
on  that  of  severity  ?  It  seems  to  me  a  very  severe 
punishment  to  put  upon  a  girl  for  so  slight  an  of 
fense.  I  think  I  could  have  administered  a  rebuke 
that  would  have  prevented  her  repeating  it  towards 
me.  It  really  makes  me  very  unhappy  to  think  she 
is  locked  up  there  for  a  disrespect  shown  me." 

"  If  you  are  satisfied  with  the  punishment  she  has 
had,  you  can  let  her  out." 

"  Indeed  I  am  !  " 

If  she  had  been  one  of  my  women  perhaps  I 
should  not  have  reminded  the  Deputy  that  he  had 
transcended  his  orders.  Mary  Muran  was  a  shop 
woman.  When  she  was  released  from  her  solitary 
confinement  she  would  return  to  the  shop.  Mrs. 
Hardback  would  call  him  to  account  for  letting  her 
off  with  so  slight  a  punishment.  I  gave  him  an  an 
swer  for  her.  , 

I  went  directly  to  the  girl's  cell. 

"  You  can  go,  Mary,  and  I  hope  you  will  never  do 
so  mean  and  foolish  a  thing  as  to  mimic  a  Matron 
again." 

"  I  never  will,  and  I  shall  always  remember  this 
kindness  in  you." 

I  never  knew  her  to  require  reproof  again,  while 
I  was  in  the  institution.  It  was  like  the  experience 
I  had  with  every  other  prisoner.  There  are,  un 
doubtedly,  those  who  return  kindness  with  ingrati 
tude,  but  I  never  saw  the  kindness  fail  to  produce 
good-behavior  while  there. 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND   THE  END.  185 

The  long  day's  work,  the  night  vigils,  and  the 
damp,  noisome  air  of  the  prison,  were  telling  upon 
my  health.  I  was  getting  an  intermittent  pulse ; 
chills  and  fainting  every  other  morning. 

I  asked  the  Housekeeper  to  let  me  have  a  cup  of 
tea  at  half  past  six.  Unless  I  took  it  then,  I  was 
obliged  to  wait  another  hour,  because  I  must  attend 
to  giving  out  the  breakfast  of  the  prisoners.  In 
doing  that  duty  I  was  made  a  three  hours  and  a  half 
watch  before  I  had  anything  to  eat  in  the  morning. 
She  had  given  her  permission  for  me  to  have  it ; 
and  I  had  availed  myself  of  the  privilege. 

One  morning  after  setting  my  women  about  the 
work  I  wished  to  have  done,  while  I  was  gone,  I  went 
in  to  breakfast. 

Supervisor  arose  about  that  time,  and  made  the 
important  discovery,  to  her,  that  the  fire  had  gone 
out  in  her  furnace,  and  her  parlor  was  cold.  This 
was  in  May,  consequently  the  weather  was  not  very 
inclement. 

Her  parlor  was  directly  over  the  prisoners' 
kitchen  ;  her  front  door  over  the  kitchen  door.  The 
steps  that  led  up  to  her  apartments  went  past 
our  windows.  She  often  ran  down  these  steps,  and 
looked  in  the  window  to  give  an  order  about  the 
furnace.  This  morning  she  did  so,  and,  not  seeing 
me,  inquired  where  I  was. 

"  Gone  in  to  breakfast,"  was  the  reply. 

Annie  O'Brien,  who  had  charge  of  the  furnace, 
brought  me  the  order  as  soon  as  I  went  in. 


186  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  Shall  I  have  time  to  do  it  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  No  ;  it  wants  but  eight  minutes  of  breakfast 
time.  It  will  take  all  of  that  time  to  "  dish  up " 
your  mush,  and  get  your  coffee  ready.  It  will  take 
half  an  hour  to  clear  the  furnace  and  light  the  fire. 
I  am  sorry  ;  but  you  will  be  obliged  to  wait  till  after 
breakfast." 

Supervisor  grew  impatient,  and  the  more  impatient 
she  was  the  colder  she  grew.  Her  comfort  was  the 
first  thing  to  be  attended  to  in  that  institution.  The 
prisoners  might  go  without  their  breakfast,  —  the 
Matrons  might  faint  away  for  want  of  food,  —  it  was 
only  paying  her  proper  respect  to  light  her  fire,  as 
soon  as  the  order  was  given. 

I  was  in  her  power,  she  could  retaliate  upon  me. 

That  evening  I  met  her  in  the  officers'  dining- 
room,  and  asked  her  if  she  wished  me  to  keep  a 
three  hours  and  a  half  watch  before  breakfast.  She 
replied, — 

"  It  has  been  done  thirty-three  years." 

"  Great  changes  have  taken  place  in  the  world 
during  the  last  thirty-three  years,  and  many  more 
might  be  effected  with  advantage,"  I  remarked. 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  can  find  time  to  go  to  break 
fast  at  that  hour." 

"  I  should  not  find  time  at  any  hour  unless  I  took 
it." 

"  That  is  so ;  but  they  were  dishing  out  when  I 
went  down.  You  ought  to  be  there  when  they  are 
dishing  out." 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND    THE  END.  187 

"I  suppose  so;  but  I  have  an  order  to  be  in  the 
prison  a  large  part  of  the  time,  at  all  three  of  the 
meals,  when  they  are  dishing  out,  and  they  are 
obliged  to  do  it  without  my  oversight.''  Doing  your 
duty,  I  would  have  liked  to  have  added. 

"  Most  of  the  officers  like  to  go  to  table  with  the 
others  for  company." 

"  I  did  not  come  here  for  society.  In  wishing  to 
breakfast  earlier,  I  was  not  consulting  my  taste,  but 
trying  to  take  care  of  my  health.  Unless  I  am  made 
somewhat  comfortable,  I  shall  break  down,  and  be 
obliged  to  leave." 

';  Comfortable  !  "  she  echoed.  I  was  not  surprised 
that  the  word  sounded  so  strangely  to  her,  connected 
with  any  other  person  than  herself. 

Discipline  had  become  a  mania,  and  it  was  applied 
as  severely  to  the  officers  as  the  prisoners,  so  far  as 
it  was  in  her  power  to  effect  it. 

The  whole  study,  it  appeared  to  me,  was  to  keep 
them  on  duty  all  day,  without  relaxation  ;  and  they 
were  cut  off  from  every  means  of  enjoyment  which 
was  not  connected  with  their  care. 

There  was  a  common  sitting-room  where  the  male 
officers  and  Matrons  sat  and  talked  together,  when 
they  were  not  on  duty,  when  I  went  there  ;  but  that 
was  taken  away,  and  made  into  a  bed-room,  so  that 
there  was  no  place  for  them  to  meet  except  in  their 
own  bed-rooms,  the  halls,  or  on  the  grounds. 

If  human  ingenuity  were  to  set  itself  to  work  to 
invent  a  position  of  unmitigated  discomfort,  that 


188  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

prison  life  would  give  some  excellent  hints.  The 
heads  of  the  establishment  were  certainly  very  keen 
in  discovering  ways  to  circumscribe  the  comforts  of 
its  inmates. 

I  made  a  statement  of  my  circumstances  to  Super 
visor  ;  not  with  any  expectation  of  obtaining  any 
consideration,  but  merely  to  place  my  view  of  things 
before  her. 

"  You  cannot  wonder  that  I  do  not  consider  that 
I  am  made  comfortable  when  you  think  of  my  seven 
teen  hours  of  labor  in  the  day,  to  which  is  added  the 
care  of  the  prison,  nights." 

*•  The  care  of  the  prison,  nights !  "  she  echoed,  and 
turned  up  her  nose  in  disdain. 

I  did  not  explain ;  but  reminded  her  that  the 
Housekeeper  had  two  hours  and  a  half  more  rest  in 
the  morning  than  I. 

"  I  am  glad  she  can  have  it ;  and  it  would  be  only 
kind  to  give  me  my  tea  a  little  earlier,  as  I  cannot 
have  it." 

"  She  has  to  be  up  nights  frequently." 

"  No  oftener  than  I,  and  not  so  late.  I  lock  her 
women  up  after  she  dismisses  them  from  her 
kitchen." 

"  I  shall  lose  a  good  Housekeeper  if  you  have  your 
breakfast  before  the  rest.  She  won't  stay  if  she  is 
obliged  to  get  it." 

"  She  told  me  she  was  willing  I  should  have  it." 

"  She  is  unwilling  now." 

I  readily  saw  why  she  had  become  unwilling.    She 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND   THE  END.  189 

herself  had  made  up  her  mind  that  it  was  not  to  be 
given  me,  because  I  delayed  the  kindling  of  her  fire, 
and  she  had  made  the  Housekeeper  unwilling. 

"  You  had  better  keep  her.  It  is  doubtful  if  I 
could  remain  with  that  favor.  It  is  with  great  diffi 
culty  that  I  get  through  the  day  now,  with  the  help 
of  a  tonic  that  the  Doctor  has  given  rne." 

I  sent  in  my  resignation  the  next  morning.  I  told 
the  Master  that  I  would  stay  till  he  could  find  some 
one  to  take  my  place. 

As  I  was  no  longer  an  officer  on  duty,  merely  a 
temporary  supply  of  help,  I  took  the  liberty  to  go 
back  to  bed,  after  I  had  called  the  women  out,  to  get 
an  additional  hour  or  two  of  sleep.  I  found  that  it 
helped  me  wonderfully  in  getting  through  the  day. 

When  the  Deputy  came  round,  I  reported  myself. 

"  You  did  not  do  your  duty  ! "  was  his  curt  reply. 

"  I  am  not  on  duty  and  I  shall  do  it  every  morn 
ing  that  I  stay  here  to  oblige  you.  If  I  were  the 
only  one  in  the  institution  who  does  not  do  her  duty, 
it  would  be  well  to  single  me  out  for  reproof.  Indeed 
I  am  not  sure  that  I  am  not  doing  my  duty  —  to 
myself.  If  the  women  in  the  officers'  kitchen  can 
work  two  hours  and  a  half  in  the  morning  without  a 
mistress,  so  that  the  Housekeeper  can  get  her  rest, 
why  may  not  the  women  in  the  prisoners'  kitchen  do 
the  same  thing,  so  that  their  Matron  may  get  rest  ?" 

The  Deputy  smiled  at  my  reasoning.  '•  I  cannot 
discipline  you  ;  you  are  not  one  of  the  officers  of 
the  institution  now.  I  get  up  nearly  as  early  as  you 
do." 


190  WOMAN  JN  PRISON. 

"  I  hope  you  enjoy  it." 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  exactly  enjoy  it ;  but  my 
duty  calls  me,  and  I  do  it." 

"  You  arc  a  strong,  healthy  man,  and  can  bear  a 
great  deal  of  care.  But  you  do  not  have  as  much 
as  I.  You  have  your  rest  through  the  night  without 
it.  You  have  your  watchman  in  prison,  and  go  to 
your  bed  in  the  house.  That  prison  is  no  place  for 
a  woman  to  sleep  in,  and  the  care  of  it  is  no  work 
for  a  woman,  who  works  all  day,  —  and  for  no  one 
else  who  is  obliged  to  be  on  duty  through  the  day." 

"  It  is  hardly  fit  work  for  a  woman  to  sleep  in  a 
prison,  and  take  care  of  it  nights." 

"  Aside  from  its  fitness  I  cannot  do  it  for  want  of 
strength.  I  hope  you  will  find  some  one  to  take  my 
place  very  soon.  I  saw  two  or  three  advertisements 
in  last  night's  paper  for  such  a  place." 

The  next  morning,  I  fainted  in  attempting  to  rise, 
and  was  obliged  to  go  down  in  my  night-dress  and 
shawls  to  call  the  women  out. 

I  should  have  told  the  Master  that  day  that  I 
could  rise  no  longer  to  call  the  women  out,  only 
that  I  heard  that  Mrs.  Hardback  wished  to  go  out 
that  nijrht,  to  return  at  seven  the  next  morning.  If 
I  refused  to  get  up,  she  would  be  obliged  to  stay  at 
home  to  do  that  duty. 

I  thought  I  would  heap  one  coal  of  kindness  on 
her  head,  so  I  told  her  I  would  try  to  get  through 
with  it  one  more  morning.  She  accepted  the  favor ; 
but  it  was  like  casting  pearls  before  swine  —  she  did 
not  thank  me. 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND   THE  END.  191 

As  soon  as  she  returned  the  next  morning,  I  wrote 
the  Master  a  note,  saying  I  could  rise  no  longer  to 
call  the  women  out,  and  I  hoped  he  would  find  some 
one  to  relieve  me  of  all  duty  as  soon  as  possible. 

He  took  no  notice  of  my  note  till  afternoon  ;  then 
I  heard  him,  in  his  measured  tread,  stalking  along 
the  prison  floor.  The  dinner  was  out  of  the  way ; 
nearly  all  of  the  work  attended  to  for  the  day.  The 
time  I  had  spent  from  morning  till  afternoon  was  so 
much  gained  for  which  he  did  not  pay. 

"  You  are  not  willing  to  get  up  and  unlock  any 
longer  in  the  morning,  you  say  ?  " 

"  I  cannot,  sir ;  I  am  too  ill." 

"  Then  we  don't  want  you  here  any  longer,"  was 
the  gentlemanly  response. 

"  I  am  happy  to  be  relieved  of  my  duties  here." 

"  You  may  go  now,  the  sooner  the  better,"  was  his 
gentle  reply. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  will  leave  directly." 

I  called  my  maid,  packed  my  trunk,  and  made  all 
haste  to  depart.  I  made  my  adieus  as  brief  as 
possible.  My  women,  with  one  exception,  were  cry 
ing  and  lamenting  my  departure,  and  I  truly  re 
gretted  to  leave  the  poor  wretches  in  such  merciless 
care. 

"  I  shall  spend  the  rest  of  my  time  in  solitary," 
said  O'Brien. 

u  I  shall  get  locked  up  the  first  thing,"  said  Lis- 
sett. 

"  I  shall  try  to  get  into  the  shop,"  said  Allen.  "  I 
never  can  stand  it  here  after  ye." 


192  WOMAN  IN  PRISON. 

"  My  heart  is  as  black  after  ye  as  that  stove," 
sobbed  McMullins. 

It  was  many  a  day  and  night,  after  I  went  out  from 
that  prison,  before  the  sights  and  sounds  that  I  saw 
and  heard  there  left  my  mental  sight  and  hearing. 

I  thought  as  I  went  away,  I  will  go  from  door  to 
door  through  this  broad  Common  wealth,  state  what 
I  have  learned  of  woman's  condition  in  prison,  and 
beseech  every  other  woman  to  help  open  the  doors 
of  her  ignorance,  and  degradation,  to  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  which  will  lead  to  reformation. 

Every  one  who  has  the  cause  of  humanity  at  heart 
will  echo  the  cry,  —  open  the  doors  of  our  prisons, 
as  the  doors  of  other  public  insiitutions  are  thrown 
open,  so  that  those  who  support  may  have  an  oppor 
tunity  to  inspect  them. 

It  is  the  right  of  every  tax- payer  to  know  what  is 
done  within  our  prison  walls  at  all  times.  It  is  the 
duty  of  every  Christian  man  to  make  himself  ac 
quainted  with  the  moral  bearing  of  the  discipline 
which  obtains  within  them. 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  religious  woman  to  see 
that  her  fellow  woman  is  not  trampled  down  in  deg 
radation  and  vice,  lower  than  her  own  sins  would 
carry  her,  by  the  heel  of  her  master  in  discipline. 

Let  the  prison  doors  be  opened,  and  the  inside  of 
them  exposed  to  the  view  of  all.  Knowledge  awak 
ens  interest,  and  interest  leads  to  action. 

If  the  people  of  this  land  could  be  roused  to  exam 
ine  the  subject,  our  prisons  would  soon  be  managed 


DISCOMFORTS,  AND   THE  END.  193 

upon  principles  which  would  tend  to  the  elevation 
of  the  wretched  beings  who  now  come  out  of  them 
more  degraded  and  hardened  in  the  commission  of 
crime  than  they  go  in. 

God  grant  that  the  day  filled  with  such  blessing 
for  the  poor  convict,  be  not  far  distant ! 


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